Freaky Fridays: My "Other" Life.

Are you experiencing strange phenomena in your home or place of business?

Popular television shows are making people more and more aware that paranormal activity is not only a reality but a far more common reality than one might think. At the same time, I like to think that spirits are like cockroaches- like attracts like, and when we focus on them we often realize that we are more aware of their constant presence than we would have liked! Sometimes we experience what we believe to be paranormal activity and immediately, things become gloomy and dark in our homes. We go through periods like this until we mentally "shake it off" and then things seem to improve. This cycle can sometimes go on for years.
Other times, no amount of "ignoring" will make the situation stop-- in fact, ignoring it only makes it get worse. No matter what, when we think something is going on in our home, we want to know what it is!! Natural curiosity is a strong catalyst for discovery and investigation.
There are now a slew of paranormal research associations near and far with broad ranging specializations designed to assist you with discovering if the "strange" activity in your home is indeed otherworldly... but what exactly are they looking for?

Some examples of typical and atypical, but still commonly reported, paranormal activity:

• Loud, unexplained bangs, rappings or knocks, strange sounds, music, hearing distinct voices, crying babies or names being called which appear to come out of nowhere.
• Objects moving (either visibly or while you are out) without a human explanation.
• Strange feelings of extreme fear in certain rooms for no apparent reason, feelings of being watched or "not alone."
• vibrating sensations, feeling a blast of unusually cold or hot air where there shouldn't be, having hair pulled or body touched in some way.
• unexplainable cuts, scratches or bruises that appear and disappear suddenly.
• unusual coincidences (this is a broad topic but often manifests as something that just has no worldly explanation, for example: finding a lost item after finding something that points you to where you would find it and instantly recognizing the connection.)
• Visuals. These can be shadows, lights, body parts or even full bodied persons
   which appear and then vanish. 
• Smells that can not be explained, such as a certain type of perfume that appears at certain times or the lingering smell of feces in a home that has no reason to smell.

Other signs of activity to watch for in conjunction with some of these:

• Sudden, unexplainable changes in behavior or interests in family members
• An interest in the occult, or a marked change in interest in self-destructive behaviors like alcoholism, drug use or promiscuity.
• Preoccupation with new age  or esoteric teachings and ideas.
• Extremely unhealthful physical habits (eating only one type of thing, or not eating at all, for example.)
• A definite feeling of unease/fear/ lack of peace/ even chaos within a family on a regular basis or within a building or place.
• Strange coincidences such as all members of a family dying of unnatural causes or a generational inability to come out of poverty, a recurring sickness or mental sickness.
• A sudden ability to speak a different language, external knowledge of interior things which others have not revealed, new "abilities" such as increased psychic activity, trances, or visions which may prove accurate.
• Superhuman strength that did not exist previously.
• Night terrors, recurring nightmares, sensations of physical heaviness on the body which do not allow a person to move.
• New physical manifestations: tics that appear only when a certain mood or topic of conversation occurs, for example.
• A strong attraction towards certain religious items or a complete disgust with certain religious items.
• Markedly different behavior when certain types of activities take place, in particular in conjunction with religious activities. (for example, getting violently angry after receiving communion or being confessed, responding poorly to prayer or being unable to pray oneself.)
• A strong belief in the effects of the spirit world on oneself coupled with a desire to intensify the paranormal experiences.
• Strange behavior, such as talking to oneself or making gestures that are not deciferable.

Any of these things needs to be examined further if they are a regular occurance in your home or place of business, and most people today go the way of the professional Ghost Hunter, seeking out organizations that can confirm the presence of an "unnatural" activity. Because of their media popularity, many people are now "amateur" Ghost Hunters themselves, spending weekends and free time "investigating" houses they believe might be haunted. Some people, however, aren't as enthralled by paranormal activity. And that's the people who are victims of a haunting-- they daily experience the terrifying reality that others seek out for thrills and chills. When they call paranormal investigators, it's usually because they are frightened or tired of being surprised and curious. Not all, some will call because they think ghosts are cool and they want to know if the group can find any in their homes. The experiences of victims and seekers vary widely, but all remain within certain boundaries and are somewhat understandable when explained and investigated by experienced investigators who have developped experience and a body of knowledge, a science, from what they do.

(If you are local I strongly recommend contacting:
Fayetteville Paranormal Research and Investigations for assistance, as they will provide you with a complete, professional investigation and are mindful of the compassionate nature needed to actually help and not hinder someone involved in a frightening paranormal ordeal.)

My job begins where theirs ends. As a lay Catholic demonologist and deliverance worker, my job is to pray and counsel you and your loved ones as you cope with the positive result of your investigation.
Most people will need someone to help you answer the question: "My house really IS haunted! Now what?" Ironically, not many people think much of what they will do if it is, they simply want to KNOW if they are really experiencing what they think they are experiencing. It can be mentally distressing to second guess oneself during a paranormal experience, and having someone else confirm your experience can be very helpful.

I don't personally recommend using a paranormal research group, since many of them are secular in nature and will use occult techniques to get a "response" from the house. Instead, I suggest that you begin the endeavor to understand what's going on the same way I would suggest undertaking any big project: with prayer and time spent in the Word of God. However, I am well aware that most persons will elect to use a Paranormal Research group, if only for their own peace of mind that it "isn't just them." So what do you do when you hear them confirm your suspicions?

Many paranormal research societies will leave you with the certainty that something is going on in your house that truly cannot be explained by natural means, but then simply advise you to learn to live with it. Most will assert that "something's here, but it's harmless" without a more thorough investigation-- even though they cannot tell you why they believe it will be fine.
Often the investigation itself will stir up additional activity or change the nature of the activity, which some say will go back to "normal" once the investigation is over. Indeed, most paranormal research organizations are secular in nature and thus unconcerned --or unintentionally distant from--any answers regarding how to help a ghost that might be manifesting with a particular need, or the idea that there may be a real danger present, though invisible behind the "friendly" spirit they have encountered. (I in no way intend this to be an insult to many of my personal friends and acquaintances who run and work in paranormal investigations groups and who are good people with hearts of compassion for the victims. Rather, it is a word of caution to the slew of new "investigators" appearing on the scene-- if you are an investigator today, have you been trained? By whom? Are you offering a service that helps or hinders people from living a peaceful life? Are you doing this out of concern for victims or to satiate your curiosity? If the latter, do you allow your natural curiosity to endanger yourself, your team or your client? These are tough questions, but they need to be addressed.)


Scripture and the Church, however, have consistently taught that there are spiritual elements around us who are neither benevolent nor uninterested in the human goings on around them. Experience teaches that the demonic nature is to deceive, and we have all heard at least one story where what started out as a playful haunting by an "innocent" ghost, once embraced and welcomed became a terrifying nightmare.
So how can you discern what exactly is going on in your home from a spiritual standpoint and eliminate it altogether if necessary? The goal, of course, is always your family's physical and spiritual safety.Many people find that paranormal activity they experience in one home causes them to flee... only to discover that they do not have any where to go since this activity is likely to follow them until it is dealt with. More often than not, although there are plenty of exceptions, we deal with haunted people, not haunted houses.

A "haunting" can refer to a person, place, or thing.

A PLACE is usually the site of a spiritual 'opening' of some sort--for example,  the site of an occult or overtly satanic ceremony,  or a place where a terrible and frightening ordeal  or other similar event has occured. There are houses in virtually every community which are simply "not right," in which strange things take place or in which chaos, fear and calamity seem to reign no matter who lives there or what they are doing.
A THING is usually an item which has been "charged." While everyday objects are not usually problematic, certain objects, such as coins, statues, images, dolls, or other things have been "blessed" or "cursed" or used in a ceremonial sense that opens them up to the spirit world. Sometimes the blessing can bring about the aroma of God's goodness, and other times the stench of hell. Many people keep cursed items in their homes for years without knowing anything about them, only to discover that they were the source of a spiritual problem in the house. These days, you can even purchase such items in auctions like ebay and visit them in paranormal museums!
A PERSON is the focus of the spiritual pestering. Some people are simply more aware than others when it comes to the spirit world, for various reasons (some cultivate it and try to "take" esoteric knowledge about spirits, others are simply "gifted" either from a  good and Godly source or from a demonic source.) Many people who have special powers of spiritual perception often lose them when they renounce certain sins or occult activities they are involved in. All of us come under demonic attack at one point or another. Opression is a relatively normal state that comes and goes... Satan's purpose is to destroy each individual life. However, some people are cursed or make  promises or even blood oaths with satanic entities that give them legal access to their lives. In rare cases, people become possessed by evil spirits, and in very rare cases, people can become perfectly possessed, or unwilling to be delivered.

As a spirit-filled traditional Catholic Christian, faithful to the Magisterium with more than thirteen years experience ministering in this field , my aim is simply to point you to specific resources that will help you on your journey, to pray for you and with you, and to serve as a liason, or translator, between you and your clergy member of any Christian denomination, as they are not always equipped to deal with the supernatural, surprising as that may be. Today, many priests and pastors are trained to guide you towards secular therapy, for example,  and not spiritual deliverance because they may not have had emphasized any teachings on spiritual warfare, on evil as a person and not just an idea, or on the war between the Devil and mankind. In fact, many priests and pastors you may encounter might suggest further occult or new age techniques to help you stop the problem, thereby making it worse. There are no magic formulas to assist people with hauntings. Like everything else, deliverance is achieved by grace, through faith in Christ. it takes trial and error, earnest self-seeking, and an eye for what to look for.


As a former victim of a haunting and a person who ministers by the Holy Spirit-given gift of discernment of spirits, I am very aware of the fear and the stigma that comes with reaching out to others about this kind of situation. I'm also aware of the psychological and spiritual repercussions of NOT heeding the advice of the Church. Because of my personal life experience, I am familiar with the paranormal scene emerging today as well as with occult religious experiences which have been known to "open doors," something which clergy often know next to nothing about. I have, myself, been delivered from my own demons, and my hope is that in sharing my experiences with you you will find solace and comfort in a world where very few people understand much of anything you might be going through.

The Bible says in Psalm 91:5 that you will not fear the terror of the night. Stand on this Word, which is for you today if you are experiencing a haunting and unsure of how to proceed. May the following information and the posts in my blog about paranormal activity as well as my demonology pages help guide you towards freedom from fear.

A guide to understanding Satanic activity:

- Ordinary activity: These include temptations to sin, and not one of us are exempt.

-Extraordinary activity: This takes six different forms. The first is external physical pain. Some illnesses, some calamity, and other types of elements which cause us suffering are included here, in particular "invisible blows" such as those suffered by the Cure d'Ars or Padre Pio. The second is called Diabolical Oppression and includes an attack in the health, jobs, or relationships of the person afflicted. The third is called Diabolical Obsession and involved an uncontrollable attack on the thoughts and/or dreamlife.This can and has been confused with mental illness, and a discerning eye is needed to know the difference. The fourth type is called Diabolical Infestation and involves the possession or demonic ownership of a place or thing. The fifth type is called Diabolical Possession and involves the maintenance of control over a person by an (often invited) demon. In this case, Satan can speak or act in the place of the person and without his/her consent. The ordinary signs of possession include: speaking in unknown tongues with fluency, superhuman/extraordinary strength, and the ability to know secret knowledge, such as another man's hidden sin or a future event. There is no "exact picture" of what to expect. Each case of possession is different. The last and final extraordinary activity of Satan is Diabolical subjugation or dependance. This occurs when an individual knowingly gives himself and his possessions over to the Enemy. The most common forms of this activity occur through the making of a blood oath or act of consecration to Satan.


STEPS TO DELIVERANCE

1. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17)

The first and most important step is a thorough examination of conscience. A solid self-awareness and increasing knowledge of self will help you to understand your own sinful tendencies and the things which keep you bogged down with demonic thoughts instead of the thoughts of God. The easiest way to form one's conscience is to begin by daily reading and mediation on the Word of God and on the teachings of the Church and writings of the Saints. As you learn what "being a Christian" means and looks like, you compare yourself and your actions to those you see and read about in the Words of Scripture and the Encyclicals and other documents (letters, etc) of the Church. Thus, you keep yourself honest about what you have and have not done that is directly out of line with God's will for your life. Repentance is the first step to deliverance, and involves a true sorrow for the sins one has committed.

2. Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. ( James 5:16)

Confession is a powerful tool that proves our repentance and deepens our appropriation of forgiveness and absolution. For Roman Catholics, confession assures our salvation by ensuring absolution at the hands of a priest, one of God's unbroken line of apostolic representatives given spiritually authority on earth.
 Confession is a crucial step after repentance to aid in the deliverance process. Confession removes our spiritual "filth" and any legal holds demonic influences may have on our person.

3.Lay ahold of God's Grace.

“Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification” (taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia). The Roman Catholic Church teaches that while God gives grace to man without outward symbols (or sacraments), He has also chosen to give grace to man through visible symbols. Because God has done this, man is foolish to not make use of this God-provided means of gaining sanctification. Thus, as a Catholic, you should turn to the sacraments as centers of accessible grace. This means you should receive Baptism, if you have not, and Confession, if you have not, and also receive Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. If you are married, you should also ensure you have been married sacramentally, if you are a priest, been given the graces associated with Holy Orders by ensuring your orders were recieved sacramentally, and if you are sick, receive the annointing of the sick.
If you are not a Catholic, note that the first part of the last paragraph says that God gives grace to man without the outward symbols as well. In other words, the sacraments are not the ONLY way of receiving grace. What else can you do? Pray, and ask God for Grace. The Bible says we must only ask, and we shall receive. (Matthew 7:7, John 14:3)

4. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22)

Quite simply, the process of deliverance is to ask for deliverance and to appropriate it/ receive it when it ready to come. If you follow these four steps consistently and earnestly, seeking God with all your heart, mind, body and soul He will not fail to save you. And great shall be the peace of His Children! (Isaiah 54:13)

There are no magic formulas or spells to give you deliverance from demonic forces. You must exercise your will and depend on the wide mercy of God. There are sacramentals which can help, but not if they are used superstitiously or with faith placed in them (idolatry) as opposed to God's redeeming work. Some of the sacramentals I use and recommend are exorcised salt and water, chrism, the Miraculous Medal or St Benedict's Medal, relics of the Saints, the brown scapular or a blessed rosary or crucifix. But none of these things are efficacious in and of themselves, only by the power they are given from God to confer his grace. For many people, these can be stumbling blocks or even deepen the demonic attack. The Cross of Christ, applied to a life, is the ONLY solution and remedy for a demonic attack.

If you or a loved one are involved in a case of possession, you will still need the same things to be delivered. A Roman Catholic Priest who recites the Roman Catholic Exorcism over a possessed person for one or more days will often have success, but usually only if the above four steps are attended to first. Do not despair if you are certain of the possession of yourself or a loved one and cannot find sympathetic clergy or a willing Bishop. Scripture says that the prayers of the RIGHTEOUS MAN avail much. Though you may not find an exorcist or be able to receive a much-needed exorcism, a group of faithful people whose hearts are right with God usually will have as much success in praying for an afflicted person for deliverance as a full blown exorcist.

The business of demonic activity is profoundly dangerous. Do NOT attempt an exorcism without the spiritual authority to do so. Do NOT play with, engage, or otherwise interact with demonic entities. Do NOT underestimate the ability of the Enemy to outwit, tempt, and succeed at throwing you off track. Do NOT dialogue directly with a person manifesting demonically, and do NOT make a display of your occult knowledge or your ability to "get a name" from a demon, or other such ritualistic business. Simply humble yourselves and pray.. this is the ONLY solution to a demonic problem and you will find no other that actually work.

If you feel powerless to help yourself or someone else and aren't sure what to do next or how to proceed, I HIGHLY recommend that you simply pray the Holy Rosary daily, even hour by hour if necessary, for the deliverance of the person whom you wish to help. God answers prayer, and you need not fear the terror of  the night, nor the arrow that flies by day. God has provided your own arrows, warrior. Offer up prayers to the One who can answer, and do not get caught up in fleshly temptations to create grandiose scenarios of deliverance-- for we battle not against flesh and blood but against the powers and principalities and the rulers of this world and darkness.

One additional note: Catholic Christians believe the teachings of the Bible and the Church with regards to the doctrine of Purgatory. This doctrine states that the soul is not always "immediately" sanctified if they did not take the necessary steps to respond to God's grace while on earth.
 Because of this doctrine, combined with personal experience, it is my belief that not ALL hauntings are the result of a demonic entity, but that some can stem from a situation in which a soul in purgatory is somehow made known to a human person, ALWAYS For a purpose-- the purpose of receiving prayer.
So, with that in mind, understand that the advice I give will help no matter what--- if you believe that the entity you are encountering is a soul in purgatory, then I recommend the above four steps PLUS having a mass said by a priest on the premises or other appropriate prayers said for the release of said person.

That being said, it is my personal experience (and in line with the doctrines and teachings of the Church and Bible) that more often than not, even in a situation which seems to be clearly about a "lost soul," the ACTUAL situation is one of very cleverly disguised demonic proportions. In other words, don't mess around and always assume the worst.

Please visit my demonology blog for specific advice and assistance. http://catholicwarfare.blogspot.com/

May God  go with you and the angels and Saints protect you. And may you be empowered to halt the enemy and to fend off his attacks in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.