I’ve written to you before so just maybe you will find me to be credible. While I agree that most TV shows and movies about the paranormal are pretty ridiculous, I became a knower about “ghosts” when my own house was haunted. My psychic development teacher told me that there was a spirit of a young girl in my house. I believe him because the bathroom water turned on by itself a few times.
After he moved her on, the plumbing shenanigans stopped.
Hi Janet, I appreciate you confirming what I wrote. Your story supports what I said about the possibility of not knowing the spirit who is present (the section on Ghosts), and it aligns with my final story at the end about Grace, who kept flushing our toilet. Isn't it weird that we both had bathroom-related incidents? Why do spirits like bathrooms so much? 😁 I appreciate, too, that you never felt any fear, which is basically my whole point. Spirits can be playful and mischievous, but they shouldn't be feared. As always, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the information, Bob. I think there are some other scenarios as well. I read an account once of spirits who like to hang around bars. They are supposedly spirits in the astral world who were so addicted to liquor that they miss it in their new surroundings and so return to the places where they enjoyed it even though they no longer have physical bodies to enjoy it again,
Another phenomenon that happens is when spirits either playfully or malevolently take physical possessions from people on the physical plane. I have a friend to whom this has been happening for decades. Even when this person has moved, the possessions still disappear, sometimes to reappear later in an unlikely place, not where they were left, and sometimes never to reappear. This is extremely distressing and expensive as you may imagine. Medications, clothing, money, jewelry, etc. -- all have been lost. I would be interested in your thoughts because my friend has consulted many different experts in this field to no avail. It is still happening.
Hi Shalini, I can certainly see a person in spirit who might have spent a lot of time in a bar, pub, or tavern and enjoys visiting now and then. Perhaps they left friends behind who still visit that bar, or there's an affinity to the place that brings back good memories. It's not like they are stuck there, but popping in for a visit is fairly commonplace.
We humans tend to make projections about spirits as if they were still in a human body. It's difficult for us physical beings to imagine a spiritual being who doesn't crave food, possessions, or even sex. In 27 years, I've never seen any evidence that spirits crave the substances of their human addictions or even enjoyment. Once people are out of their bodies, there's a sense of relief and freedom from the needs and cravings of the physical body. It is one reason why most people who have near-death experiences don't want to return.
I, too, have heard of spirits playing around with us in this way--hiding things, moving things around. I don't think it's always the case. I do think that there are practical reasons for some of the missing or misplaced items (we must be careful not to use spirit as an excuse if we're having challenges with our memory), but I validate that there's evidence it does happen (mostly through readings with mediums where the spirit admits it). Spirits, Shalini, have a great sense of humor. It would be helpful if your friend told the spirits that their playfulness has its costs and that he/she demands that it stop. There are no evil spirits, so this is not being done to hurt, punish, or torture the person. Spirits are always loving and playful, so they will stop if they are told to stop with the following caveat.
The caveat: In last week's article, I wrote about how we request one thing, but our actions do the opposite, thereby sending a mixed signal. So, if a person were asking the spirit to stop hiding his personal items but repetitively talking to others about the spirit doing it, it could reinforce the behavior. If we are getting something of value from telling a story, we are giving energy to it. Just another aspect to consider. Thanks for much for sharing these stories.
I enjoyed your article, very much, as always. I wonder what you think about something I remember seeing a long time ago from one of those "ghost hunter" reality shows. They indicated that high spiking, erratic electromagnetic frequency (EMF?) readings reflected the presence of spirit. Just curious... I saw this phenomena one night in an old townhouse I lived in. I had never seen it before, and it was the night before I was moving out. I thought maybe they were happy I was leaving!
Hi Sue, you should read what I wrote to Christian in the comments, but my guess is that they were giving you a loving sendoff. Perhaps it was their gratitude for your presence during your time in the townhouse that they were celebrating. Pretty cool, though. Thank you for sharing this.
I believe extremely in the afterlife and I definitely believe everything you said in your article. Keep up this good things you are writing about. A lot of people think we’re crazy but that’s ok because we know it’s true.
Hi Maria, You make me think of the many readings with mediums that I've witnessed in which former atheists came through as spirits with a light-hearted chuckle at themselves. "Imagine my surprise!" a few have said. Thanks for your comment.
Great article! I was a part of a paranormal team for around 8 years. This was a great team with a healthy sense of skepticism. I agree with your perception of the paranormal shows. I hunger for something legit! I believe it's good to show cases where there is nothing...just nothing. But a show that has producers and real investigators with integrity, I feel, is necessary. I know...I know some will chuckle, or roll their eyes, at this statement but really feel it's needed.
There is a point I do want to touch on that I myself do not really have an answer for when it comes to "hauntings." We started an investigation, at a private home, with me doing a walk through of the residence. This is where I basically do a reading of the property to see what comes in. Now, the young boy of the family escorted me through the home while the rest of the family stayed in the living room with the rest of the paranormal team. It didn't take very long and I felt something really weird. While looking at a door off from the kitchen I felt like I was being sucked into a small space. I know this sounds strange and it was the first time I ever felt this. I asked the young boy...what's behind that door? He looked up at me confused and looked back at the door....it's just a wall. Now I was confused but suddenly realized that this door was already open. At the same moment of my realization the boy, in a factual manner, pointed out that it's the door to the back yard. In an attempt to divert quickly from my obvious lack of simple observation skills I asked the boy to close the door. He walked over to the door, as I stayed in the kitchen, and closed it. And there, to my surprise, was an electrical breaker box! Why, in the world, would a breaker box being causing such a feeling in me! I hurriedly had the boy open the door and come back over to me. I called out to the team's lead investigator to come over. Once the team lead made his way over to me I began telling him of the strange feeling I was having about THAT DOOR. Just like myself, and the young boy previously, a look of bewilderment came over his face. Once again I asked the boy to close the door and upon seeing the breaker box my team lead's face went from bewilderment to total understanding. He politely directed the young boy to go back into the living room with his family. The team lead explained to me that most of the paranormal occurrences were happening in this specific spot of the house. I was blown away by this information. He went and retrieved an electrician's multi-meter from his equipment. We opened the breaker box and found 2 breakers that were leaking high levels of electromagnetic frequency (EMF). My team lead starts to tell me the different types of paranormal feelings such a situation can cause a person to feel. Of course we told the family to get an electrician and take care of these unsafe breakers right away.
The reason I bring this up is that it brought a question to my mind. Are situations of high EMF causing issues with the mind...or...are the high EMFs creating an environment that allows easy entry of spirits into this realm...or...is it a culmination of both? Oh my GOSH my mind is now diverting to another investigation that had a crazy energy phenomenon due to underground aquifers! Regardless, what are your thoughts on such things? Have you ever run into this during all your years of investigating?
I do agree with you that most spirits are passed over loved ones. Some seem to be a spirit revisiting a place they considered, in their lifetime, a little bit of heaven on earth.
Once again, great post. Really makes me miss doing those paranormal investigations and helping people understand that there really wasn't anything to fear...and to stop watching those shows.
Hi Christian, I always appreciate your comments. Regarding your first paragraph, I'd like to add that many TV producers approached me about a show in the first twenty years of my work. I was quite frustrated with them. Rather than focus on the truth of my investigations, they always wanted to take the show toward sensationalism. One producer wanted me to investigate exorcisms, for example. Their suggestions, I came to realize, always leaned toward topics with the most entertainment value. It taught me that the investigation of the afterlife that I knew wasn't prime content for a TV audience. Most of the fun stuff was happening inside my head, like during past-life regressions and between-lives regressions. Not that I don't think the public should have the right to decide for themselves, but the people who are footing the bill for these shows want to be sure their investment will have a payoff--after all, television is an entertainment medium. Consequently, we end up with the producer-influenced shows that I mentioned because only a smaller audience is interested in watching a paranormal investigation that ends with the "ghost howling noise" being just wind blowing through a bottle in the drafty basement (that was a real case).
The story you told about the door in the wall sparked a few thoughts for me. One, I recently learned that my neighbor's house was part of the Underground Railroad. I met a woman who grew up in the house as a child who said there used to be a secret doorway from the kitchen to the basement to allow quick escape. While that doorway might exist today, it's not visible at this time. However, I do believe a good psychic or medium could identify the doorway if it was concealed by a wall or even if it once existed but doesn't any longer. Something of that nature might have been what you were picking up on.
I am not an expert on EMFs, but we have a comment from Sue (above) who also mentioned EMFs in relation to a paranormal investigator (ghost hunter), so I'm beginning to suspect that it's common knowledge that EMFs and spiritual phenomena (what they would term paranormal) are commonplace in that line of work.
Personally, I believe they are on to something. If I had to guess, the chicken-or-the-egg answer is that the door existed at some point in history and you may or may not have picked it up without the EMFs, but the EMFs certainly might have helped you tap into it. I've seen too much to not believe there are instances--included vortexes (areas more susceptible to metaphysical energies)--where our sensitivities (abilities like you have) are enhanced. I believe the paranormal investigator community has seen it enough that they're aware of it happening when high levels of EMFs are present, even if they don't understand exactly how or why it happens.
Regarding your question of whether these conditions--underground aquifiers included--affect our mind or environment, I lean toward both. Only about five years ago did I learn about people using EMDR therapy for trauma to induce spirit contact. We're talking about a conscious encounter with spirits, not far from a dream visitation except that people can feel the spirit hugging them in this experience. Now why does a series of rapid eye movements induce this amazing spiritual encounter? Again, I think it more important to recognize that it happens than it is to bust a vein in our forheads trying to understand how, although I wish I knew.
I hope this is somewhat helpful, even though I can't answer your questions directly. However, Christian, this is what makes work in this field so long-lasting and intriguing, right? It's not a scientific experiment that can be repeated with any certainty. So many of these experiences are random even if they are fairly predictable. Just when we're tiring of the cases that end with nothing, a fascinating case turns up where a medium sees a doorway where there's a wall and it's right near a circuit breaker that's emitting high levels of electromagnetic frequencies. Suddenly, our interest is peaked and we're hooked once again. Thank you!
Bob, thank you for all that information. I will definitely check out the EMDR video!
There has to be at least one producer who can make a great paranormal show while maintaining the integrity of the paranormal team or Psychic...right!? OH...maybe you can be that producer? :)
I remember reading an article by Psychic John Edward and why he left his show after 4 years. The producers were pushing him to say things that would get his audience members to cry. He was frustrated because the producers would not focus on the message that passed over loved ones were bringing in. So, he left the show behind and says he will not go back to TV until there is a producer who will allow him and the show to focus on the wonderful messages being received.
I liked what you said about John Edward's experience. Too often we get caught up in the sensationalism of it all. It need not be that way. I would love to see a paranormal show that maintains the integrity of the team as well as the spirit world. So often that is not the case as Bob, and you, have mentioned.
I thank you for this information. I used to be afraid of spirits of those who had passed. I have many relatives "on the other side". When my older brother Jerry passed I was able to experience some communications with him and started to relax a bit about the "dead". Then, at the passing of my husband, I was introduced even more so to communication with his spirit. He was a very persistent person in life here on earth and proved to be so in death as well! I thank both of them along with other relatives for their communications with me over the years. It is wonderful, calming and reassuring for me. I have learned to let them know when I hear or feel them, which is usually the mode of communication that they use. I also liked what you said about haunted buildings. I have experienced spirits in some buildings, probably due to my sensitivities. I have never experienced any malevolence. When people are open to listening, I convey this message to those who are fearful in the hopes that they too will calmly open themselves to this wonderful experience. Thank you for your weekly insights. I appreciate them all and learn so much! Take Care. Tina Stevens
Hi Tina, these are all excellent examples. I like that you have become more sensitive because of these communications you have had with Jerry and your husband. Perhaps I insinuated that from what you wrote, but I have seen people's spirit communication with deceased loved ones open them up to recognizing the presence of spirits outside the home. Many mediums started off this way. I also appreciate your message to those who do feel fear. Well said, thank you!
Thank you. I have thought of "branching out" to helping others connect with spirits of their loved ones. I have also taken a few classes and have a few friends who do readings. I am "retiring" from teaching children soon and might look into this a bit more. I look forward each week to your articles and your years of experience in investigating and reporting on the spiritual realm. Thank you so much.
Hi, Bob.
I’ve written to you before so just maybe you will find me to be credible. While I agree that most TV shows and movies about the paranormal are pretty ridiculous, I became a knower about “ghosts” when my own house was haunted. My psychic development teacher told me that there was a spirit of a young girl in my house. I believe him because the bathroom water turned on by itself a few times.
After he moved her on, the plumbing shenanigans stopped.
So, I’m just saying…
Hi Janet, I appreciate you confirming what I wrote. Your story supports what I said about the possibility of not knowing the spirit who is present (the section on Ghosts), and it aligns with my final story at the end about Grace, who kept flushing our toilet. Isn't it weird that we both had bathroom-related incidents? Why do spirits like bathrooms so much? 😁 I appreciate, too, that you never felt any fear, which is basically my whole point. Spirits can be playful and mischievous, but they shouldn't be feared. As always, thanks for sharing!
By the way, I never felt any fear.
Thanks for the information, Bob. I think there are some other scenarios as well. I read an account once of spirits who like to hang around bars. They are supposedly spirits in the astral world who were so addicted to liquor that they miss it in their new surroundings and so return to the places where they enjoyed it even though they no longer have physical bodies to enjoy it again,
Another phenomenon that happens is when spirits either playfully or malevolently take physical possessions from people on the physical plane. I have a friend to whom this has been happening for decades. Even when this person has moved, the possessions still disappear, sometimes to reappear later in an unlikely place, not where they were left, and sometimes never to reappear. This is extremely distressing and expensive as you may imagine. Medications, clothing, money, jewelry, etc. -- all have been lost. I would be interested in your thoughts because my friend has consulted many different experts in this field to no avail. It is still happening.
Hi Shalini, I can certainly see a person in spirit who might have spent a lot of time in a bar, pub, or tavern and enjoys visiting now and then. Perhaps they left friends behind who still visit that bar, or there's an affinity to the place that brings back good memories. It's not like they are stuck there, but popping in for a visit is fairly commonplace.
We humans tend to make projections about spirits as if they were still in a human body. It's difficult for us physical beings to imagine a spiritual being who doesn't crave food, possessions, or even sex. In 27 years, I've never seen any evidence that spirits crave the substances of their human addictions or even enjoyment. Once people are out of their bodies, there's a sense of relief and freedom from the needs and cravings of the physical body. It is one reason why most people who have near-death experiences don't want to return.
I, too, have heard of spirits playing around with us in this way--hiding things, moving things around. I don't think it's always the case. I do think that there are practical reasons for some of the missing or misplaced items (we must be careful not to use spirit as an excuse if we're having challenges with our memory), but I validate that there's evidence it does happen (mostly through readings with mediums where the spirit admits it). Spirits, Shalini, have a great sense of humor. It would be helpful if your friend told the spirits that their playfulness has its costs and that he/she demands that it stop. There are no evil spirits, so this is not being done to hurt, punish, or torture the person. Spirits are always loving and playful, so they will stop if they are told to stop with the following caveat.
The caveat: In last week's article, I wrote about how we request one thing, but our actions do the opposite, thereby sending a mixed signal. So, if a person were asking the spirit to stop hiding his personal items but repetitively talking to others about the spirit doing it, it could reinforce the behavior. If we are getting something of value from telling a story, we are giving energy to it. Just another aspect to consider. Thanks for much for sharing these stories.
Here's that article: https://bobolsonconnect.com/p/beyond-the-secret-the-missing-piece-f54
I enjoyed your article, very much, as always. I wonder what you think about something I remember seeing a long time ago from one of those "ghost hunter" reality shows. They indicated that high spiking, erratic electromagnetic frequency (EMF?) readings reflected the presence of spirit. Just curious... I saw this phenomena one night in an old townhouse I lived in. I had never seen it before, and it was the night before I was moving out. I thought maybe they were happy I was leaving!
Hi Sue, you should read what I wrote to Christian in the comments, but my guess is that they were giving you a loving sendoff. Perhaps it was their gratitude for your presence during your time in the townhouse that they were celebrating. Pretty cool, though. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, Bob, I love the positive way you see things. You are teaching me to be better at it.
I hadn't read through the other comments when I wrote this, and I see another reader wrote about EMF's as well. Interesting!
I believe extremely in the afterlife and I definitely believe everything you said in your article. Keep up this good things you are writing about. A lot of people think we’re crazy but that’s ok because we know it’s true.
Hi Maria, You make me think of the many readings with mediums that I've witnessed in which former atheists came through as spirits with a light-hearted chuckle at themselves. "Imagine my surprise!" a few have said. Thanks for your comment.
Great article! I was a part of a paranormal team for around 8 years. This was a great team with a healthy sense of skepticism. I agree with your perception of the paranormal shows. I hunger for something legit! I believe it's good to show cases where there is nothing...just nothing. But a show that has producers and real investigators with integrity, I feel, is necessary. I know...I know some will chuckle, or roll their eyes, at this statement but really feel it's needed.
There is a point I do want to touch on that I myself do not really have an answer for when it comes to "hauntings." We started an investigation, at a private home, with me doing a walk through of the residence. This is where I basically do a reading of the property to see what comes in. Now, the young boy of the family escorted me through the home while the rest of the family stayed in the living room with the rest of the paranormal team. It didn't take very long and I felt something really weird. While looking at a door off from the kitchen I felt like I was being sucked into a small space. I know this sounds strange and it was the first time I ever felt this. I asked the young boy...what's behind that door? He looked up at me confused and looked back at the door....it's just a wall. Now I was confused but suddenly realized that this door was already open. At the same moment of my realization the boy, in a factual manner, pointed out that it's the door to the back yard. In an attempt to divert quickly from my obvious lack of simple observation skills I asked the boy to close the door. He walked over to the door, as I stayed in the kitchen, and closed it. And there, to my surprise, was an electrical breaker box! Why, in the world, would a breaker box being causing such a feeling in me! I hurriedly had the boy open the door and come back over to me. I called out to the team's lead investigator to come over. Once the team lead made his way over to me I began telling him of the strange feeling I was having about THAT DOOR. Just like myself, and the young boy previously, a look of bewilderment came over his face. Once again I asked the boy to close the door and upon seeing the breaker box my team lead's face went from bewilderment to total understanding. He politely directed the young boy to go back into the living room with his family. The team lead explained to me that most of the paranormal occurrences were happening in this specific spot of the house. I was blown away by this information. He went and retrieved an electrician's multi-meter from his equipment. We opened the breaker box and found 2 breakers that were leaking high levels of electromagnetic frequency (EMF). My team lead starts to tell me the different types of paranormal feelings such a situation can cause a person to feel. Of course we told the family to get an electrician and take care of these unsafe breakers right away.
The reason I bring this up is that it brought a question to my mind. Are situations of high EMF causing issues with the mind...or...are the high EMFs creating an environment that allows easy entry of spirits into this realm...or...is it a culmination of both? Oh my GOSH my mind is now diverting to another investigation that had a crazy energy phenomenon due to underground aquifers! Regardless, what are your thoughts on such things? Have you ever run into this during all your years of investigating?
I do agree with you that most spirits are passed over loved ones. Some seem to be a spirit revisiting a place they considered, in their lifetime, a little bit of heaven on earth.
Once again, great post. Really makes me miss doing those paranormal investigations and helping people understand that there really wasn't anything to fear...and to stop watching those shows.
Hi Christian, I always appreciate your comments. Regarding your first paragraph, I'd like to add that many TV producers approached me about a show in the first twenty years of my work. I was quite frustrated with them. Rather than focus on the truth of my investigations, they always wanted to take the show toward sensationalism. One producer wanted me to investigate exorcisms, for example. Their suggestions, I came to realize, always leaned toward topics with the most entertainment value. It taught me that the investigation of the afterlife that I knew wasn't prime content for a TV audience. Most of the fun stuff was happening inside my head, like during past-life regressions and between-lives regressions. Not that I don't think the public should have the right to decide for themselves, but the people who are footing the bill for these shows want to be sure their investment will have a payoff--after all, television is an entertainment medium. Consequently, we end up with the producer-influenced shows that I mentioned because only a smaller audience is interested in watching a paranormal investigation that ends with the "ghost howling noise" being just wind blowing through a bottle in the drafty basement (that was a real case).
The story you told about the door in the wall sparked a few thoughts for me. One, I recently learned that my neighbor's house was part of the Underground Railroad. I met a woman who grew up in the house as a child who said there used to be a secret doorway from the kitchen to the basement to allow quick escape. While that doorway might exist today, it's not visible at this time. However, I do believe a good psychic or medium could identify the doorway if it was concealed by a wall or even if it once existed but doesn't any longer. Something of that nature might have been what you were picking up on.
I am not an expert on EMFs, but we have a comment from Sue (above) who also mentioned EMFs in relation to a paranormal investigator (ghost hunter), so I'm beginning to suspect that it's common knowledge that EMFs and spiritual phenomena (what they would term paranormal) are commonplace in that line of work.
Personally, I believe they are on to something. If I had to guess, the chicken-or-the-egg answer is that the door existed at some point in history and you may or may not have picked it up without the EMFs, but the EMFs certainly might have helped you tap into it. I've seen too much to not believe there are instances--included vortexes (areas more susceptible to metaphysical energies)--where our sensitivities (abilities like you have) are enhanced. I believe the paranormal investigator community has seen it enough that they're aware of it happening when high levels of EMFs are present, even if they don't understand exactly how or why it happens.
Regarding your question of whether these conditions--underground aquifiers included--affect our mind or environment, I lean toward both. Only about five years ago did I learn about people using EMDR therapy for trauma to induce spirit contact. We're talking about a conscious encounter with spirits, not far from a dream visitation except that people can feel the spirit hugging them in this experience. Now why does a series of rapid eye movements induce this amazing spiritual encounter? Again, I think it more important to recognize that it happens than it is to bust a vein in our forheads trying to understand how, although I wish I knew.
I hope this is somewhat helpful, even though I can't answer your questions directly. However, Christian, this is what makes work in this field so long-lasting and intriguing, right? It's not a scientific experiment that can be repeated with any certainty. So many of these experiences are random even if they are fairly predictable. Just when we're tiring of the cases that end with nothing, a fascinating case turns up where a medium sees a doorway where there's a wall and it's right near a circuit breaker that's emitting high levels of electromagnetic frequencies. Suddenly, our interest is peaked and we're hooked once again. Thank you!
Here's my Afterlife TV epsiode on that EMDR experience: https://youtu.be/TvVHYO9CsBE?si=QZmCu3dKUzOTWOw6
Bob, thank you for all that information. I will definitely check out the EMDR video!
There has to be at least one producer who can make a great paranormal show while maintaining the integrity of the paranormal team or Psychic...right!? OH...maybe you can be that producer? :)
I remember reading an article by Psychic John Edward and why he left his show after 4 years. The producers were pushing him to say things that would get his audience members to cry. He was frustrated because the producers would not focus on the message that passed over loved ones were bringing in. So, he left the show behind and says he will not go back to TV until there is a producer who will allow him and the show to focus on the wonderful messages being received.
Thank you for your comments and awesome thoughts.
I liked what you said about John Edward's experience. Too often we get caught up in the sensationalism of it all. It need not be that way. I would love to see a paranormal show that maintains the integrity of the team as well as the spirit world. So often that is not the case as Bob, and you, have mentioned.
Hi Bob,
I thank you for this information. I used to be afraid of spirits of those who had passed. I have many relatives "on the other side". When my older brother Jerry passed I was able to experience some communications with him and started to relax a bit about the "dead". Then, at the passing of my husband, I was introduced even more so to communication with his spirit. He was a very persistent person in life here on earth and proved to be so in death as well! I thank both of them along with other relatives for their communications with me over the years. It is wonderful, calming and reassuring for me. I have learned to let them know when I hear or feel them, which is usually the mode of communication that they use. I also liked what you said about haunted buildings. I have experienced spirits in some buildings, probably due to my sensitivities. I have never experienced any malevolence. When people are open to listening, I convey this message to those who are fearful in the hopes that they too will calmly open themselves to this wonderful experience. Thank you for your weekly insights. I appreciate them all and learn so much! Take Care. Tina Stevens
Hi Tina, these are all excellent examples. I like that you have become more sensitive because of these communications you have had with Jerry and your husband. Perhaps I insinuated that from what you wrote, but I have seen people's spirit communication with deceased loved ones open them up to recognizing the presence of spirits outside the home. Many mediums started off this way. I also appreciate your message to those who do feel fear. Well said, thank you!
Thank you. I have thought of "branching out" to helping others connect with spirits of their loved ones. I have also taken a few classes and have a few friends who do readings. I am "retiring" from teaching children soon and might look into this a bit more. I look forward each week to your articles and your years of experience in investigating and reporting on the spiritual realm. Thank you so much.