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July 2013 #1 Issue
Magazine
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SPIRITS OR SLEEP PARALYSIS?
By Tim McGovern
ave you ever awoken to the feeling of being completely paralyzed? Did
you feel that there was something or someone in the room when you did? Were you unable to speak or scream for help? You might have experienced what is called sleep paralysis. Or you might have experienced something that was of a spiritual nature of being visited by a dark spirit. Scientists have studied sleep paralysis and the feelings that people have had when they experience it, for several years.
Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon in which people, either when falling asleep or awakening, temporarily experience an inability to move. This could extend even to the ability to speak, or cry out. Scientists have attributed this to muscle atonia (muscle weakness) and consciously waking before your body has fully awakened. Often times, people experience terrifying visions of some kind of intruder but are unable to react due to the paralysis. It is believed a result of disrupted REM sleep, which
is normally characterized by complete muscle atonia that prevents individuals from acting out their dreams. In many cases, scientists state that the reason why these visions occur is because our brain goes into a defensive state of not being able to move, and the increase of adrenaline (fight or flight mode) causes people to see things, searching for a reason for the paralysis.
The most common of these types of incidents last only about a minute to a few minutes, maximum. It is viewed as a form of narcolepsy and can be treated as such from a doctor. If it is true sleep paralysis, and not something spiritual that one is experiencing, there are other ways to
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help prevent this from happening. Sleeping in the supine position (on your back, face up) has been a particular instigator in any kind of sleep paralysis. In this position your soft palate is obstructed and causes your lungs to work harder as there is more pressure on the lungs due to gravity. Some other instigators can be stress, overuse of stimulants, physical
fatigue, eating greasy foods before sleep, not having a regular sleeping pattern, or certain medications that are used to treat ADHD.
As mentioned, scientists have identified many similar stories of visions of intruders. Before the research and technology that we have today, it was commonly known that one was visited by a mare. We can go back as early as the 13th century in German folklore and other cultures
where a “mare” is described as an evil spirit or goblin that rode on a person's chest bringing bad dreams. It is where the term nightmare originated from.
This subject is of particular interest to me, because I have experienced this long before any of this knowledge was known to me. In my situation, I believe and still do to this day, that what I experienced was something spiritual. I opened the door to the situation; it happened more than once; and eventually, I closed the door to the situation by using my faith (instead of fear) to overcome it. After the last time it happened, I called out to God for his help to rebuke the evil spirit, and it never happened again after that. This is my story.
I lived in Mexico for about a year when I was younger. During that time I slept in one of the creakiest beds known to man. One move would make the bed creak or the springs on the bed creak. One night, as I was getting ready for bed, I was talking to my cousin who I spent a lot of time with and also taught me Spanish. I was lying down and then realized I had my wallet in my pocket. She got
startled and told me to take it out and lay it on the nightstand. When I asked her why, she said if I slept with my money, the “Bultos” would come. I laughed and said, "Let them come." I was never the type to be easily scared. So against her pleadings, I purposely slept with my wallet and my money in my pocket to attempt to prove her wrong. Sometime during the night, I woke up. I was able to move at this point. I simply started to go back to sleep when I remembered about what my cousin had said and the money in
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my pocket. I was lying on my stomach and was dozing off wondering if what she said had any merit, when I heard the dogs in the other yard start barking. The place I lived in Mexico was a very small town. It was completely dead silent during the night. So to hear the dogs in the other yard start barking so suddenly and loudly was a bit surprising. As I lay there wondering what caused the dogs to go crazy for a minute, I heard what sounded like the bass of a car with a loud speaker system. Then the same sound again, this time a bit closer. It sounded almost like huge footsteps, but in the form of a loud bass sounding sound. It seemed to get closer and louder with each step, but still I stayed laying there on my stomach just listening. Then it stopped outside the wall and window of where I was sleeping. It was so quiet I almost stopped breathing to see if I heard any other sounds; then I heard one. The bed creaked as if someone was lying next to me. I was facing the other direction so I didn't see anyone, but I stayed still. As the bed creaked with the movement of whatever was next to me, it followed the sound of what I felt next. It felt as if someone rolled right on top of my back, and was lying right on top of me. Only, it wasn't just a physical thing. I couldn't move at all, I couldn't speak or scream, and almost felt as if I couldn't breathe. My other cousin was sleeping on the couch not too far away in the same room and I tried to scream as loud as I could; only
no sound came out. I'm sure it was only about a minute long, but it seemed like forever! Then, whatever was on top of me rolled off of me. I heard the creaking of the bed again, as if someone rolled off of me. Then the loud bass sounds, as if huge footsteps were being taken. The dogs went crazy for a minute again. Then, nothing. I jumped up and woke up my sleeping cousin and made him sleep in the bed with me. After I told him what happened, he also was terrified!
Researchers say that 40% of the human population will experience at one time in their life an event that is similar to the one that I described. Some believe through these experiences are where tales of vampires, demons, fairies, shadow people and many more were developed. Throughout the years, the more common names of these intruders in the night are known as the Hag, Succubus, or Incubus (the male
counterpart of the Succubus).
My experience was almost 19 years ago, but I still remember like it was yesterday. After studying sleep paralysis I have found that some of the things I felt were common to many people experiencing sleep paralysis. While I do not think my case was something scientific, but spiritual, it will be up to you to judge if you are impacted by something spiritual (like I was) or scientific—simply sleep paralysis.
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By Leon Titus
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lthough I have changed for the
good, it certainly didn’t
happen overnight. Coming
from a family that wasn’t always
making the wisest decisions, I got off to
a bad start in life. My dad ended up
being married several times, and my
mom married a man that was always
getting into and causing trouble. I left
the house when I was young and pretty
much had to learn by my own
mistakes. Fortunately, I was in the
prayers of a lot of people. As the years
went on, I started getting it together. I
learned to observe people and see
what made them well liked and
successful. I had a little church
background and developed a thirst for
spiritual knowledge. So as I read the
bible and all sorts of other spiritual
books, I started to make wiser
decisions and learned how to be a good
and caring person. Now I devote my
whole life to helping others get their
life together. I’ve learned to be patient
with people, and come to realize that
everyone has a past, and people don’t
change overnight. However, that
wasn’t always the case. As I started
cleaning up my own life, I was unable
to comprehend how others couldn’t
see their own mess-ups. To me it was
so obvious they were making mistakes,
and in my opinion, there was no way
they couldn’t see the dumb things they
were doing. I come to the conclusion
that they simply didn’t want to change.
Although that may be the case for
some, I now see that I was often times
wrong on my judgments and that
people don’t always see their mistakes.
Several years ago I was
reminded of something that happened
to me in Junior High. I learned to play
guitar when I was only nine years old,
so I usually had two or three
instruments setting around. A friend of
mine from school had a guitar that she
no longer wanted, so she gave it to me.
The neck was bowed, leaving it un-
playable. I just happened to know what
the problem was and knew how to fix
it. There was a rod down the middle of
the guitar-neck. If you turn it clock-
wise, it straightens the neck. I took the
guitar home, found the Allen-wrench
and started cranking on it. As I kept
turning the wrench, I heard a (POP);
the rod in the neck snapped. Now the
guitar was useless. Although I knew
what the problem was and how to fix
it, I failed to realize something. It took
years for that guitar-neck to get into
the condition it was in, and I tried to
change it in five minutes. That lesson
stuck with me for the rest of my life. It
showed me that even though I may
clearly see the problem with
someone’s life and even know how to
fix it, trying to straighten someone out
too fast could cause them to snap. It
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took them years to get into the
condition they’re in, and they can’t
straighten out overnight.
Although there are no secret
ingredients for success, chances are
increased with a normal balanced
family life. However, often times a
balanced start to life doesn’t happen. It
took me many years to change from
the uncaring, mistake making person I
was. I’ve had a lot of people try to help
me throughout my life with advice,
money, and guidance, but often times I
simply wasn’t ready to receive it. Until
a person is ready to change, it simply
won’t happen. Yet even when they’re
ready, it won’t happen overnight. Be
patient with others that don’t seem to
understand or can’t see their mistakes.
My mom tried to give me guidance, but
I didn’t listen. Now I find myself doing
the same things with my children, and
just like me, they do what they want.
Now I look back and think about how
many problems I could have avoided if
I would have listened. Sometimes
when we try to help others, it may
appear as though they’re not hearing
our words, yet they may be storing up
the info for a later date. Don’t give up
on others, just try to be patient and
remember people don’t change
overnight.
https://www.facebook.com/edgarcayce?hc_location=timeline
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hadow and Spirit Totems
By Tim McGovern
ll of us have these, but these are
the totems that are a little harder
to identify than our power totem
or our birth totem. They are shadow totems
and spirit totems. Both of these animals have
to deal with fear. One is an internal fear that
we might have developed simply by our
own thoughts, or perceptions. The other is
an external fear that is developed by an
actual experience we might have had in our
life. We may have been bitten by this
particular animal, or even attacked by one or
more of this particular animal.
Shadow Totems
In Shamanic circles, shadow totems
are known to be a particular totem that one
feared. This fear is internal. It could be just
the way it looks, something that
we know about the animal, or
something we just can’t explain.
We just don’t like it! This is a
very important lesson to learn.
Remember when we conquer
fear it becomes a power. Many
Shamans believe that fear will
take the shape of an animal that
we need to confront without
fear. If we are successful these
animals become powerful
shadow totems. Once we
conquer the fear, then we can
really explore the message that the particular
animal has for our life. When we fear
animal, at first glance, our fear takes over
and this creates a wall for the message that
we may need to learn. For example, my
shadow totem is snake. It is the only animal
I have ever feared because certain venom
from snakes can kill humans. I used to live
in an area in California where there were
snakes in the hills, and my cousin and I
would go hiking quite a bit. As I got older
and learned more about the snake, I learned
not to fear it. The snake has a powerful
message of transformation. Now if I happen
to see a snake, I am able to listen to the
message of the snake, instead of being
obsessed with my fear of them.
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Spirit Totems
Many people use the term “Spirit
Totem” loosely to mean your "totem"
animal in general, or your power animal.
However, Spirit Totems do have their own
special message in our life. Have you ever
been attacked or bitten by an animal? If you
survive the attack of an animal, that animal
becomes your spirit totem. Many times, this
animal can provide healing to you in a way
that you may not have thought about. For
example, the snake is said to provide
healing. A bite from the snake can be fatal,
but it can also provide the healing necessary
to live through it. A spirit totem does not
have to be a huge animal, like a shark or a
tiger. It can even be a domesticated animal
or very small! Many animals have been
known to attack humans as small as rats, and
as big as elephants!
The bee also is an animal that many
people are afraid of, for its stinger.
However, the bee is a symbol of healing,
especially around the heart chakra. As the
honeycomb is the shape of a pentagon, the
shape of a heart, it is said to provide healing
around the heart chakra. It also teaches us to
extract the sweetness of life, and be happy
with whatever we sink our feet into, as bees
feel with their legs. As you might have
guessed, the bee is my spirit totem. There
was a bee hive living in the ductwork of my
sister’s room, and I was stung while in her
room, and had to go to the hospital. Luckily,
I am not allergic to bees. I was afraid of bees
at one time. Now, when I see one, I am not
and I am positive that it is a sign that some
healing is going on. It is a strange thing I
know, but when I see a bee, a smile usually
comes across my face. I conquered the fear
that I had of them, even though I was
attacked and stung by one.
So when you think about the animals
that you fear, first think about whether or
not it is an internal fear (one that you
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developed on your own), or an external fear
due to something the animal initiated (an
attack or a bite). Now look past the fear.
Look up some of the characteristics of that
particular animal. Do some of the
characteristics that the animal represents
relate to something else that you may fear in
waking life? For example, if snake is your
shadow totem, are you fearful of change or
transformation in your life? Once you
recognize the fear for what it is, it is easier
to overcome. And when it no longer
controls or paralyzes you, you are much
more able to conquer it. Once you can
conquer this fear, it can become a power in
your life!
Picture credit:
PICTURE 1:
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-
image.php?image=33659&picture=horse
PICTURE 2: (From Google Public Domain)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mmBw3uzPnJI/T
MGFYTrZZFI/AAAAAAABsgE/k2-u6y-
cnkc/s1600/animals_attacking_cars_03.jpg
Picture 3: (From Google Public Domain)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mmBw3uzPnJI/T
MGE-
fkuGvI/AAAAAAABsek/IZDA683ej9c/s16
00/animals_attacking_cars_15.jpg
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The Difference Between Soul, Ghost, and Spirit By Leon Titus
lthough the words soul, ghost and
spirit are often times used to
describe the same thing,
sometimes they are not used correctly.
Even though at times these three words
could mean the same thing, at other times
they are not always interchangeable. So
why is it incorrect when someone uses
the word spirit in place of the word ghost,
or the word soul in place of spirit? In the
paranormal world, these three words are
usually used to describe the same thing, a
ghost. However, although we may pick
one of these three words to describe a
ghost, only two actually apply. Let’s take
a look at each of these words and see the
difference in their meanings and why
they can’t always be used in place of each
other.
Soul
In the bible when it talks about us
being created in the image of God, it is not
referring to our looks; it is referring to
our soul. The soul is that part of you
created in the image of God, and is the
individual/real you. It has the power to
create and destroy, and is the spiritual
part of you that detects, receives and
transmits spiritual things. Because you
have a soul, you are like a miniature God.
Your soul is energy, power, and most of
all, complete. Because of free will, over
time your soul has become weak,
forgetful and confused about whom and
what you really are. Jesus knew the truth
about whom and what he was and
therefore chose and created correctly.
Your soul is the power that moves your
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life in a direction and creates your future.
Your mind is what dictates how and when
the creative energy is released. Your mind
is both flesh and spirit. We have a brain
that moves the body while here on earth,
yet at death it is no longer needed. Your
soul mind is eternal and never dies. We
are given the allusion of time and space in
order to experience limitations here on
earth. Jesus knew this, and therefore
bypassed the fleshly limitations and
influence; so what he chose to create
(food and healing) was instant. He of
course had the mind of Christ (all truth).
The scriptures tell us that we also have
the mind of Christ, yet because of free
will, bad choices and sin, we have
forgotten the truth about who and
what we really are. Your soul needs
to be fed the right spiritual food in
order to be healthy. However, we
can all see by the mess this world is
in, that we’ve chosen junk-food.
Ghost
The word ghost is not
nearly as hard or lengthy to
describe as the word soul. The
word ghost simply refers to
something left behind. We see
this for example, when talking
about a ghost-town. Although
there may not actually be a ghost
in an old western town, the
memories and realization of the
things that happened there
causes us to refer to it as a ghost
town. In the bible, depending on
what version you’re reading, it
sometimes refers to the Holy
Spirit as the Holy Ghost. Because
it was sent by Jesus once he got
to Heaven, the word Holy Ghost
is incorrect. The spirit was sent,
not the ghost. The word ghost is
mostly used to describe a
person’s soul that gets left behind
at the time of death; this is the correct
interpretation. However, this is one of
those times when soul and ghost could
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actually mean the same thing. When a
person’s soul gets left behind at the time
of death and remains here on earth, it
becomes a ghost.
Spirit
Out of the words Soul, Ghost and
Spirit, Spirit almost stands alone. Spirit
refers to the life of something or
someone. The Bible refers to God as a
Spirit, not a Ghost or Soul. Without spirit,
not even the soul would be alive. Spirit is
compared to electricity, it being the
power that keeps everything going. We
as humans give and create spirit. We have
created the Spirit of Christmas and the
Spirit of Thanksgiving. These spirits were
created by feelings and conjoined effort of
the multitudes all agreeing on the same
thing, therefore giving life to it. Each
individual has a Spirit about themselves.
This is also true about families, city
blocks, towns, states, and so on. The Spirit
in one country is very different than the
spirit in another country. The spirit of a
person is the combined effort of choices,
mental and physical condition of an
individual, as well as the environment in
which the person lives and was raised in.
Actually, spirit is everything that ever
touched a person’s life. Spirit is what
radiates from a person or area, and is felt
by the people in that place or around that
person. Who hasn’t walked into a building
that has a strange feeling about it? It may
not be haunted, yet from the feelings
radiated and created by others in the
past; it has a certain feel and spirit about
it. We’ve all seen and experienced the
Spirit of sadness or happiness. Spirit is in
and around everything. Nothing exists
that doesn’t have spirit. Spirit does not go
away and it is life itself.
Although there is much that could
be said and written about Soul, Ghost, and
Spirit, I’m sure you can see the
differences, yet similarities between the
three. There are times that these three
words can be used together, like the spirit
of a soul left behind as a Ghost. In order to
understand spiritual things, we must first
understand who and what we are. Not
only is it true that many Paranormal
Investigators have no clue of the
difference between Soul, Ghost, and Spirit,
but many preachers and spiritual leaders
also have a hard time distinguishing the
difference between the three.
I’m pretty sure that I have
forgotten or left out a few points that may
also shed some light on this subject, but
you’ve got enough spiritual food to chew
on for now. Knowledge is power, and all
truth is within; but we must first get past
self in order to see and hear that truth.
Learning about yourself and what gives
you life is one of the smartest things you
can do. We are spirit first. Once your old
body is gone, you will be spirit again. So
plan your spiritual future now. You don’t
want to end up as a lost soul, left behind
after death as a Ghost with a troubled
spirit. Heads up.
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https://www.facebook.com/HauntingAtFarrar?ref=br_rs
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BY TIM MCGOVERN
hen we sleep at night, our physical body gets rest, but something else also happens when we dream. Our subconscious mind may be sending messages to us that we should pay attention to in our waking life. Many times these dreams are
not literal, in other words they don’t mean exactly what happened in the dream will actually happen. For example, if you dream of being stabbed to death, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will happen, but there could still be an important message there for you to decode. Also, many dreams are exaggerated to catch our attention, which is usually the reason why we remember them. Colors, places, people, and things that are over exemplified all can play an important part of decoding your dreams. Each month, we will share a few actual dreams, with their interpretations, to help teach the meanings behind some of these important symbols we all might experience. Below are a few dreams from actual members of our Dream Codes group, found on Facebook. At Dream Codes, people can share their dreams and get interpretations from the various interpreters we have in our group. If you haven’t joined already, please send a request to join our group. If you are knowledgeable in interpreting or simply want to share your own personal dream, we welcome you. *(Dreams shared in Signs Magazine are with the permission of the dreamer who has shared their dream on Dream Codes) *************************************** Janis G. I had a dream the other night I was drawing a picture and the picture I was drawing was an old style bird cage, the door was open and the dove was flying away. Tim: Because this dream has to do with freedom, and letting go... it reminds me of the saying, "If you allow the bird out of the cage and they come back to you, it’s yours forever. If you open the cage and the bird flies away
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and never comes back, it was never yours to begin with." Or something to that effect... Since you were peaceful, and doves represent love, peace, and wellbeing, it sounds like you are in balance, and are getting a breath of fresh air, respecting freedom of others as well as yourself Janis: Thank you :) *************************************** Ann D. I dreamt that I was standing outside my kitchen door on our small black patio, it was summer and I spotted a swallowtail butterfly in the grass; it was black with blue and red spots at the tip of the wings lining down to the bottom. I went down the steps from the patio into the grass to pick up the butterfly. It rested in my right hand and I took it into the house, it crawled up and climbed onto my shoulder under my long hair. I showed it to my mother and went outside with it to set it free. ... Suddenly the seasons started changing rapidly fall came first, then winter. I sat the suddenly weakened butterfly on a block on our patio; ice crystals covered its body as it drew up. I felt sorrow as it slowly was dying and curling up; I felt the insect was somehow mourning as well. Snow covered the ground, the sky was grey, then the sun broke, the trees bloomed, the snow melted, the grass regained its color. After noticing this I reached down for the butterfly and the ice crystals melted and it came back to life gradually, it remained weak, but alive in the spring. In a way, it followed the changing of the seasons like that of a plant, however I felt a attachment or representation by this insect. I'd appreciate any interpretations if you have one. Tim: I see lots of symbolism of transformation. Butterfly is an animal of transformation, as it goes through the cycle of basically dying as one creature to emerge as another entirely different and beautiful... The seasons also point to that... Winter, dying, and spring, rebirth... I believe this transformation is happening within you, your subconscious, there is the black color, back door to the patio (back of mind—subconscious), through your kitchen (kitchen represents emotions) all point to a significant transformation of self and the subconscious. Leon: My thoughts are the butterfly remained the same through all the changes. It was affected by things, yet remained the same, just a little weaker. So this may reflect your faith or how you have hung in there. You may be a little weaker, but remained steadfast and did not waver. Ann: Thank you guys! ***************************************
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Sharon T I dreamed I was walking through a door way, just a plain door and on the side I was on, it was just grey and brown and there was hard pavement. I was dressed in normal today clothes: pants, polo shirt and slip on shoes; but as soon as I stepped over the into the other side my shoes where gone, I was bare foot and had an old fashion, off white, flowing gown like you see on a ghost. I stepped onto brilliant green moss ground, surrounded by trees, flowers and nature and it was like the moss came up and patted my feet and I could feel it talking to me and vibrating with life; and the flowers and the trees also reached out to touch my hands and legs like we were old friends, saying hello. As I walked through the forest to an open field of moss and like golden glittery sunshine, I see a brown owl that looked like it was perched but it was floating in the air its head facing left but eyes fixed on mine. The owl was holding an old fashion parchment that said "You are Magic" but the word magic was spelled different and then I noticed I still had the gown on but now a hooded cape too and both where moving in the slow breeze. It was a beautiful dream -- the woods kind of looked like the photo I put up on my FB and a stranger posted an owl just like the one in my dream and that was the first thing I saw this morning on FB. Tim: I think the key word here is “opportunity!” You are debating whether or not to explore the more mystical side of you, magical side of you… once you step through the door, you are barefoot, so there is still some insecurity about the situation, and there will be a change in your grounding, and foundation. The OWL is a totem of magic and seen in many magical circles as the bird of Hecate, and also the messenger bird of Apollo… The message of the owl is also about stealth and working silently towards your goals, trusting no one until the time is right; keep your ears and eyes open for the opportunity… Having a hood at the end of the dream would also point to working in stealth mode. The forest is about a time of testing and learning, but I don’t think it will be necessarily bad, you will enjoy this learning as you felt so comfortable in your dream with the elements of Earth… Also the brown color of the bird indicates grounding, and looking left, but eyes on you, you are still debating if this is the “right” thing to do… Don’t doubt yourself… explore! There is a plain side of you, but once you walk through that door, and make the decision to start exploring this side of you, I think you will be pleasantly surprised and find a whole different world... Dennis: Transformation....seeing through the vales of things...beyond the exterior presentation....seeking harmony within/without....... *************************************** Katrina R. Really strange dream last night, but I dreamed that there was an itch in my tooth, yes and itch in my tooth, weird I know, but I pulled out what I thought would be food or something, (gross, yes I know), but it was tiny bug. I put it on the floor thinking it was a microscopic bug, and when it started to move away I gasped realizing it truly was. What on earth does this mean?
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Leon: I believe that you're itching to say things about what bugs you. Holding back. Dennis: Agree...Be mindful of your words....could also relate to something that someone else has said to you that is bothering you....but, since it came out of your mouth, I would think that it pertains more to you..... Katrina: Well, I am being cautious right now choosing my words carefully, and trying to bring an end to a dead end. Dennis: Good...you are removing irritations...no need to harbor them any longer. *************************************** Emma J. I probably should of wrote this when it was fresher in my mind, but all I remember is being outside in a moody dark sky and I think I might have been standing in a field with other people when this bomb/huge explosion happened, like something hit the whole planet not just a particular area. Then I just have this feeling of big trouble... I’m not sure what I thought maybe aliens something bad. What is the translation for that? Thanks in advance x Jennifer: I do notice there's been a strong energy in the air, almost feels as if something's on the horizon. Do you have any current things going on right now? Legal matters? Family issues that you feel may be erupting soon? If nothing in your personal life than perhaps this was a premonition? Emma J: Hi Jennifer, no, not any legal matters. Hmmm, what like relationship issues? I remembered another part to the dream- after the large bang etc. i was in my house and i remember looking out the window and seeing many odd shaped crafts, i presume alien and I called out to my partner to look out the window at them. And that’s all I can remember. I know it felt scary... like I felt some urgency. Tim: When we dream of water, it represents emotion; likewise when we dream of the sky, it is indicative of logic and our thoughts... The moody dark sky is indicative of your thoughts, and it could be the explosion is a result of that type of thinking. What you focus on expands, so if you keep having dark thoughts, maybe they WILL in fact manifest into something bad... I am sensing elements of fear, not being accepted, negative thoughts in regards to others.... do not let fear control you. Focus on perfect love and perfect trust... even if it is aimed only at you. Love and trust yourself, trust your gut instinct on matters, but don't live in fear. Fear of invasion… like Jennifer said... Emma: That’s really helpful to hear thank you Tim! Tim: Anytime! :)
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Dennis: You may be feeling that things are falling apart in your world...blowing up...emotional stress....... Emma: Yeah I do. Why does the subconscious (excuse my spelling) mind not make it clearer what we are feeling etc? As it uses symbols instead? Thanks Dennis, was hoping u would answer. Cheers Dennis: We are all evolving....does not mean, necessarily, in a forward direction....the soul is already there....and time does not mater....we may be receiving guidance from other parts of ourselves, and we may have forgotten how to listen.......One may need to be startled or shaken in order to begin to get the gist ...an attention grabber.......one sees the flower blooming, but, may really be seeking the health of the root.
*************************************** Juan G Strange dream last night, I dreamt it was winter and I saw my great aunts home which is half of a double on fire yet I only saw the fire coming out of the attic Leon: I believe this represents your Aunts mind/attic/ at the present time. Being purified/reflecting and repenting. Tim: I agree with Leon, wintertime is a time of death, coldness... hence the purification and letting something die, and however, the fire could represent some fiery thoughts that are consuming her... Is your great aunt still alive? Juan: Yes she is still alive Tim: I think the main symbols in this dream are winter, your aunt’s home, attic, and the fire... Some repressed memories could be coming to the surface which are causing anger, passion, but she is trying to let them go and die and move on to new life (spring) ... but one could say that she is in the middle of some kind of transformation and experiencing the "death" stage.... not literal death, but when something dies, something else is reborn. Juan: Thank You Tim I appreciate that!
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by Tim McGovern & Leon Titus
ith hundreds of different Christian religions out there, how do I know which one is
right? I mean, I feel a need to get closer to God and start learning the truth about how I should live and what he expects from me. However, I see Baptist over here, Catholics over there, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutherans, and a plethora of religion choices. Which one is right? I’m confused and I want to know the truth.
Good luck, my friend. This is a question being asked by many people these days. Finding the truth about God has become very confusing. Man has taken his own beliefs and developed all sorts of different concepts, ideas, and religions of what God is about, what God expects, and the truth about the Bible. Although most Christian religions agree that the Bible is the inspired word of God, they simply can’t agree on what it says, therefore giving us many different beliefs and religions. The one scripture most Christians do agree on is, “God is not the author of confusion,” (1 Corinthians 14:33) so then why the confusion?
As we look at the church world, we clearly see mistakes. I’m not talking about the occasional minister that gets caught doing something he shouldn’t. I’m talking about the bad example many Christians set. Being raised in church, I had the opportunity to watch believers live their Christian lives. I also spent years singing
and preaching in different churches, which allowed me to experience different beliefs and religions. Although I have met some great believers, I also have had the opportunity to see some bad examples of what Christianity is about and what it represents. As a believer in God, it’s easy for me to understand that temptations come along and mistakes happen; but to the unbeliever, or the person that is looking for answers and truth, it can appear as though the believer is either fake or not normal.
Even worse, when a believer has
put their faith in a pastor or preacher,
thinking that he is the shepherd of the
flock (the church) and will always protect
it from harm, their faith can be destroyed
when he IS caught doing something
wrong, such as adultery. Sometimes it
isn't that serious, sometimes it is
something as simple as gossip, but when a
person feels unprotected by their
shepherd; they end up leaving the church
and blaming God. First of all, the pastor is
the messenger, and overseer of the flock,
but Jesus is the real shepherd. Our eyes
should go past the man behind the pulpit
to the higher being that truly will protect
us from harm and evil. It is most evident
in the Catholic religion that priests and
popes are put on pedestals; however,
priests, preachers, popes, pastors, etc. are
still men just like us, with faults and flaws.
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If people would do their homework before getting involved in a religion, confusion would be greatly reduced. However, when people are beaten down, at a low point, and needing help or answers, they may be inclined to accept or believe anything. Pretty much any pastor of any church can show you in the Bible why their church believes and teaches the things it does. If you don’t know your bible, you may be inclined to believe what’s revealed by a member or pastor. Because of the differences in, and the confusion over religion, many individuals are starting to take a different approach to truth.
Is it God's will that this happens?
No. The Bible says in Luke 4:16 says, "He
(Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had
been brought up, and on the Sabbath day
he went into the synagogue, as was his
custom." Jesus was found every Sabbath
in the synagogue meeting with other
believers and it was his "custom." He set
the example and demonstrated that
meeting with other believers and learning
from them is a great thing! Iron can
sharpeneth iron. However, the church
should not be what you call a relationship
with God. A church is a relationship with
other believers, and each person should
still have their OWN relationship with
God.
Although many churches and religions are still going strong, others have become a laughingstock, not trusted or believed, or just downright shunned because of their odd actions and ways. I won’t go into all the different Christian beliefs and why the followers do what they do, but I will say this, most Christian
religions have only been around for less than 300 years and are split-offs from other beliefs, namely the Catholic religion. In my opinion, ANY church claiming to be the authority figure on God is a church to stay away from. Although most religions mean well, many are quick to send people to hell, putting the fear of God, instead of the love of God, into people's mind. When people have fear, they can be controlled by and won’t go against the church. It becomes about power, not love.
In the Book of Revelations, Jesus
talks about seven churches. If you pay
attention, every church in the world can
fall into one of these seven types of
churches. Here's the list:
Ephesus - The Active Church (Sound in
doctrine, but deficient in Love.)
Smyrna - The Poor but Rich Church
(Lacks material resources, but rich
spiritually)
Pergamos - The Heretical Church (False
doctrine)
Thyatira - Church of the False Prophets
(Lots of good works, but dead on the
inside)
Sardi s- The dying church (Were strong
once, but have waivered and becoming
lukewarm)
Philadelphia - The Loyal Church (The
only church encouraged to keep doing
what they are doing)
Laodicea - The lukewarm church. (Self-
satisfying, comfortable church, neither
hot nor cold)
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The problem is that EVERY church
seems to THINK that THEY are the Church
of Philadelphia, and every other church is
the church of Pergamos. Unfortunately it
seems that no church is willing to be the
church of Smyrna, and many churches
end up being the Church of Thyatira
because everyone is confused and lost on
which direction to go.
So what can a person do while searching for spiritual answers, truth, and help? The answer is simple; be wise, be careful, and don’t believe everything you hear. One of the big reasons people are starting to consider the so-called New Age approach is because it doesn’t put God into a spiritual box. In fact, the New Age movement is older than most religions. People are starting to return to their spiritual roots and put away the old, more religious self, and embracing the fact that God is much more than judgment and fear. Religions love fear because it gives them power, but once they are found out, the power goes away and the truth sets you free. This is nothing new. Churches have been troubled since the beginning. Like I said in another article, if Jesus would have preached and taught what the churches did in his day, we would still be lost. Every person's path is unique because WE are all unique.
So if you’re a person needing spiritual guidance and direction and are asking, “What church would be best to attend on a Saturday or Sunday morning?” Truthfully, there is no perfect answer to that question. It really depends on the needs and desires of the individual looking for help. Some churches are very active, while others are very laidback. Some revolve around music, and some
have no music at all. Other churches are made up of mostly elderly people, while others are full of youth programs. Churches are only meant to be a foundation in which to build your Christian life; they are not supposed to be your whole life. The plan should be to go to church in order to learn some history about the Bible, to be comforted and to comfort other believers, but most of all, to improve your life by being introduced to possible truths. Improving lives should be the focus of any church, not controlling lives. Many people laugh at or condemn Christianity just because there are problems with religions. The problems arise when people simply believe what they’re told about God and Christ instead of checking things out for themselves first, this causes the confusion and tainted religions.
If you have been disillusioned with church and have given up on church, also keep in mind that the problem may not be "church in general" but rather the types of churches that you have attended. That is why all of these points are so important to consider in this article. I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to the confused church. Church CAN be wonderful. I’ve been a part of some churches that really cared about me and did whatever they could to improve my life. If you choose to be part of any religion or church, be careful and wise. Remember, you see what you see. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. When in doubt, don’t. It all depends on your needs and wants. Needs and wants are two different things. Soul searching is needed now. It’s time to figure things out. IS CHURCH FOR YOU?
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The Number 23 Enigma By Tim McGovern
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7659011032_1718dfa512_z.jpg
here are many times throughout life that something stands out to us more than others. It is at these
times we sometimes may shrug it off and think of it simply as a coincidence or ironic. Then there are those times when
we tell ourselves it is definitely a sign from the universe. Something about what we saw is just too strange to ignore. Some people will go to the extreme and think that everything is a sign! Is it
T
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actually a sign? Or is it selective perception?
Many have seen the movie "The Number 23" with Jim Carey, which is a fictional story of one man obsessed with the number 23 and how it correlates to his life. He experienced the 23 Enigma. While it is not a true story, at one time this enigma was actually studied to be true by many, and there is still much information about the subject on the internet. The theory itself is that everything reduces down to the number 23. Why is that important? The number 23 Enigma is a corollary law of the Law of Fives (since 2+3=5) and states that all things happen in fives. In the Bible, the number 23 is referred to as the number of death. Psalm 23 is the psalm that is most read at funerals than any other psalm in the Bible. Here are some other things you may find on the internet about this number:
2/3= .666
The perfect terrorist plan (which ended up being exactly as what happened 09/11/2001) was created in 1976 (again 1+9+7+6=23)
WTC (The World Trade Center): W=23rd letter of the alphabet, T=20th letter of the alphabet, C=3rd letter of the alphabet, therefore- W=23, and T+C=23. 9/11/2001= 9+11+2+0+0+1=23.
Julius Cesar was stabbed 23 times
There are 23 letters in the Latin alphabet.
Titanic sunk on 04/15/1912
There are 23 characters on each American Coin.
On a keyboard, the letter W is the 23rd letter and above it are the numbers 2 and 3.
The average lifespan of a human being on the planet Earth is 63 years, roughly 23,000 days Oklahoma City bombing, Battle of Lexington and the Waco incident were all on April 19th (4+19=23)
Hiroshima bomb was dropped on Japan at 8:15. (8+15=23)
The human biorhythm is generally 23 days.
Each parent passes on 23 chromosomes to its child.
The Earth's axis is approximately 23 degrees.
U2, U is the 21st letter in the alphabet. 21+2=23
The Mayans said the end of the world would be 2012 (20+1+2=23)
Hitler killed himself April of 1945 (4+1+9+4+5=23)
Germans declared war on December 11th, (12+11=23)
And the list goes on...
Now to the common eye, and seeing that there is found the number 23 in all of these, it is easy to say YES there is a correlation. What studies have concluded is that the Number 23 Enigma is an apophenia, selection bias, and confirmation bias. Apophenia is the ability to see patterns and connections of
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things that are meaningful in otherwise meaningless information. I myself am able to see patterns that most people cannot see or understand. So I do know this exists; it is very real for me. Let me be clear that I do not believe that everything reduces down to the number 23, and being able to see patterns very easily in my life, I see many inconsistencies with the information above, which I will explain in further detail. Today, it has been concluded that the number 23 Enigma is in fact what is called "Selective Perception." Many people know what selective hearing is (only hearing what you want), well, selective perception works the same way but is a little bit more in depth. The reason being is because people's perception of things is usually their truth. It doesn't mean that it is actually true, but for them it is. Perception is reality for most.
I do not believe in coincidences. I believe that there are reasons for everything in our lives, but our conscious mind is unable to process the meaning for everything that comes our way, so it does discard much information. Sometimes a message is so strong that even if our conscious mind discards it, our subconscious mind does not. This is when we will usually have a dream about a particular situation that our mind is trying to tell us to pay attention to or remember. Dreams are when our subconscious mind tries to talk to our conscious mind. Dreams can sometimes be over exaggerated, usually to get our attention so we will remember it. Also dreams are many times metaphoric, not literal, so all these things can affect how we understand the message. Signs are
real. They are around us all the time. However what determines if it is a Sign, or maybe just Selective Perception?
Let me go back just a bit and return to the Number 23 Enigma. As I mentioned, scientists have now ruled this particular enigma as selective perception, also known as selection bias, or confirmation bias. What those terms mean is that basically we can create our own truths if we look for them hard enough. The power of the mind to create a truth as one perceives it to be truth is very powerful. The Illuminati’s have become very clever to demonstrate how numerological truths can be found if anyone is clever enough. Let's take the examples above of all the numbers and dates that are mentioned. To the regular observer, it may seem to be true beyond a shadow of a doubt. It's clearly there, right? To the keen observer, it is found that there is a different rule applied for almost every example that is shown to "fit" it into the number 23. In some cases, the day, month, and year are added together... in other cases, just the month and year, in another case just the month and day, in a couple cases the month and day as a two digit number, and others the month and day broken up into single digits. In numerology, the law is that each number is broken down into one single digit. For example, 09/11/2001 should be 9+1+1+2+0+0+1= which equals 14. It is a 5 number, because 1+4=5, but it is not 23 unless you add the 11 up with all the numbers. This is a perfect example of selective perception. You are being selective with what you see, instead of looking at it from a logical and rational viewpoint.
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So how do you know if something that you see is really a sign from above, or selective perception? Many people ask for a sign from above to get the answers to our problems. The Bible says that we should not do this. We should not tempt the Lord, our God, for He has nothing to prove to us (Deuteronomy 6:16 and Luke 4:16). The truth is there are signs all around us all the time, every day. What we should pray for is for God open our minds and hearts to be able to receive the messages that may be waiting for us to know. We all have a free will and can learn to shut these messages out. This can be particularly true if, like many, you were taught not to pay attention to your dreams, ghosts don't exist, it was just a coincidence, and many other "logical" ways of thinking that our parents, and society has taught us growing up. To receive the messages that the universe has for us, WE have to open our hearts once again and be ready to receive them. Another verse in the Bible tells us to "test and try the spirits."(1 John 4:1) Here we have an obligation to test and try OTHER spirits... NOT God, but other spirits, to know which ones are good and which ones are bad. We should not believe EVERY spirit, as the verse teaches.
In conclusion, the only real way to know if something is a sign or not, is this: there is no way. Only you can truly know by trusting your inner gut instinct if you are being directed by the universe, or if you are being directed by your own ego to WANT to create a truth in your head. You
must test and try things, spirits, and truths. Lies on the surface seem just as real as truths, but only truth can stand up to the tests and still stand. I sometimes see things that stand out to me, and I may say to myself, hmmm, that is interesting.
However, I also don't go through life
thinking that EVERYTHING that comes my
way is a SIGN. Signs are gifts from the
universe that should not be taken lightly.
Now if that particular sign repeats itself
again, or maybe even a third time, then I
will definitely look into it and see what kind
of message the universe may have for me.
You have to develop a somewhat skeptical
view of many things so that you can learn to
discern the truth from the lies out there.
Before you conclude that something is in
fact a sign, ask yourself, "Am I having
selective perception? Or is this truly a
sign?" The answer lies within. Trust your
inner gut instinct.
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http://www.facebook.com/AscendingAgeOfSoaringWolf
33
My friends dream
A friend of mine had a dream. In his dream he saw
Jesus. Beside Jesus was a long gold cord that went on
until it could no longer be seen. About every two feet
there was a white box built around the gold cord. These
also went on until they were out of sight. My friend
asked Jesus what this meant. Jesus said, “The gold cord is
the cord of truth which goes on for eternity, and the
white boxes are those religions and beliefs man has built
around the truth. Although they are all separate, they are
still connected and they all have the cord of truth in
them.
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hether you’re using a Ouija
board, going to an all-night
ghost hunt, or even visiting a
psychic medium, you’d better be careful
when talking to, or interacting with spirits.
Even trying to cast out bad spirits in Jesus'
name could end up being dangerous. When
it comes to interacting with those
individuals that have passed on, or
communicating with the spirit world,
wisdom and caution are very much
recommended.
In the classic movie Beetlejuice,
starring Michael Keaton, the summoned
spirit caused nothing but confusion, and
wreaked havoc on everything and everyone
he came in contact with. Although the
movie may have been funny and
entertaining, any ghost hunter that’s been
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followed home by a spirit after an
investigation will tell you that there’s
nothing funny about it at all.
We may encounter good, bad, very
nice, or very mean people in our daily life,
and it’s also like that in the spirit world.
Even when someone is carried off to
heaven after death, that doesn’t make
them instantly nice or enlightened, but at
least they have someone on the other side
helping them to adjust. However, if
someone misses the boat and stays around
for a while as a ghost, they may become as
frustrated, confused, and malevolent as
Beetlejuice. Imagine how a ghost might
feel, trying to get people’s attention day
after day, and year after year, yet no one
even knows they’re around. Even worse, if
the person that’s left behind was a mean,
pushy, or borderline evil person when they
were alive, we may end up with a real
Beetlejuice after they have passed on.
Although there is a big difference
between being wrong, bad, or evil, a
confused, angry spirit can cause big
problems. So what can an ordinary spirit do
to mess with your life and affect your
surroundings? Well, because they are more
or less invisible, most of the time you will
simply have no idea they’re even around.
You may feel their energy but will be unable
see them. Being a spirit, they can affect our
own spirit with feelings of anger,
depression, sadness, or pretty much any
emotion we are able to feel. Of course we
are talking about a small number of spirits
in comparison to how many souls may be
floating around. Yet, it only takes one
unsettled soul to interfere with your life
and make you miserable.
By saying the word Beetlejuice three
times in a row, the unsettled soul would
appear ready and willing to help the living;
problem was, he had a personality, an
attitude, and wanted to do things his way.
By being in-tune and studying a vast array
of spiritual things for most of my life, not
only do ghosts love attention, but
sometimes even those who have gone on to
the light, still seek to influence the living.
The veil between the living and the dead is
much thinner than most people are willing
to believe. Your uncle who is now in
Heaven, or has gone to the light, may have
loved you very much while he was alive, but
if he was a pushy or opinionated person
while he was alive, chances are he will still
have those aspects of his personality.
Having some of those traits on the other
side may lead to tough feelings that could
be empathically felt if he tries to influence
you now that he has passed over. Often
times, our dead relatives or friends are
given the job as helpers to us from the
other side after their death; and so you may
feel their presence and influence. This
means that your uncle may try to push you
in the direction he believes is best for you,
rather than the direction that may be in
your best interest. The idea of this, is to
teach both of you about love, truth, and
emotions; eventually you will both benefit
from this connection. Perhaps your uncle
needs to stop being so pushy and
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opinionated, and by observing your attitude
and personality, you may help him. It could
be that you’re too passive or quiet and
need to be a little more assertive, so his
spiritual input may give you that boost you
need to be stronger. There may be lessons
to be learned by both of you.
Most people are oblivious to the fact
that we have spiritual influences coming to
us from all sorts of directions. We have
Angels, Demons, Ghost, Spirit Guides, and
all sorts of human energy affecting us all
the time, along with other possible spiritual
influence that would take a whole other
article to explain. Just because you may feel
a bad or strange feeling in a location, that
doesn’t necessarily mean it’s haunted.
Likewise, a place with good energy can
suddenly feel weird if a ghost shows up.
So how can we avoid, or protect
ourselves, from possible negative spiritual
contact and interference? The answer is,
study and be in-tune. Read up on spiritual
things, not just religious material. Reading
about life after death, ghost, religions,
dreams, and the supernatural, is very
helpful when it comes to understanding and
comprehending what lost spirits are
capable of. Also, any paranormal
investigator will tell you that the best tool
they have for detecting the presence of
spirits, is their own body. When a person is
in-tune plus educated about spiritual things,
you will not only feel an entity's presence,
but you may also be able to pin-point what
kind of energy it is and how to keep it at
bay. Who hasn’t walked into a building and
felt strange or odd feelings? It could be a
spirit left behind, or left over energy from
something not so good that happened in
the past. So your own body is your best
detector.
In my opinion, other than our Spirit
Guides, Angels and heavenly forces, I
wouldn’t call out or summon any spirit,
especially if you don’t know what you’re
doing. Ghosts are ghosts because they
missed something, not because they went
the right direction. So obviously you don’t
need their input. Although you may mean
well by trying to help them, be careful that
they don’t latch on to you and cause you
problems. With all the new technology in
the paranormal field, lost souls are being
found. Yet it appears once again that
technology has surpassed spirituality. Now
we can detect the spirit world, but we fall
short when it comes to interacting with the
other side.
So the moral of the story is, before
you go messing around with the spirit
world, get in-tune and educate yourself
about spiritual things; or you may unleash a
real Beetlejuice that will mess with you the
rest of your life!
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http://www.amazon.com/Katrina-Rose/e/B007WT1J5M
onnects is not your everyday
spooky story. Yes, there is an element of scary to this seedy
story based on a true haunting
and possession with nuggets of fiction, to keep you the reader
guessing what's real and what is not. Connects is also the spiritual journey of a woman who connects
to the afterlife, sees into the future and the past, has the
ability to Astral project and
maneuver within her lucid dreams. This is her story she discovered after moving into what
she thought was her dream home, except it turned out to be more
than her dream home, it turned out to be the burial grounds for many souls, and because of her
intuition she is able to pick up on these souls and help to solve their
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murders, or at least, how she believes they have been murdered
based on the connections to these souls, dreams, and what others
are saying about the lost and forgotten.
Twenty-one is a common and unique thread throughout
this ghostly tale. And there is a reason why the author has chosen
21 chapters to represent what really happened to the ghosts lost and forgotten. You'll need to read
why this is a connection between Abigail the main character and
the spirits she feels connected to. You see, this book has scary elements, but it's much more
personal than the hair on your arms standing straight up. It is the authors hope that you
connect with life through death. It is her wish for you to connect
with not only your inner child, but also with the souls in limbo crying out to be heard.
What would you do if
you bought a house built on historical land with a seedy past
starting with a drug dealer selling to cops shortly after his wife is found dead on the
railroad tracks, and the suspicious overdose on his
driveway? Except no one told you about what went down on your property nineteen years ago
including the Realtor, and being the outsider moving into this rural town you didn't think that
maybe they were covering up the sins of the past. I believe most
people would probably put up a for-sale sign, or consider
suing. Maybe this is exactly what I should have thought about
doing, but instead I decided to write about the dreams I started having about the spirits who had
been wronged. With each new dream the spirits trapped within the walls of my country
house left clues why they are here. For some reason there are
many spirits, and some people think I'm making it up as I go when it twists and turns, almost
unbelievably. Sometimes the most unbelievable should be believed,
especially when the ghost-murder story begins to stack up from newspaper articles, and
what town folk are recalling after nineteen years of silence. Instead of being afraid
or threatened I let my guard down allowing one of them to
possess me, until I discovered which one is inside of me. My name is Abigail Morrison and my
story is fiction which means that I've changed the names, places, and dates, but I believe my
ghosts to be real when I moved into my dream home, but some
might say I have substance issues just like my ghosts, and I'm only being delusional. I guess,
you'll need to read to find out what you think about what I
believed happened to me the spring-summer of 2002.
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