One Expert Discusses Spirits Vs. Ghosts

Recently in reading Visits From The Afterlife by Sylvia Browne, I thought her differences between Spirits and Ghosts fit the other experts I had read rather well. Here are some points mentioned:

Ghosts are typically more visible distinct than spirits.(Although both may have a misty type or semi transparent appearance in my experience.)


Because they have not yet experienced the love and light of the other side, Ghosts may show visible signs of injuries,deformities,or illness.(Like Headless Nick in Harry Potter?)

Whatever the ghost's purpose for rejecting their death (as discussed the other day.) they are among us from a distorted sense of reality."The world through the ghost's eyes is locked in a time warp of their own disturbed creation.From their point of view we are the intruders in their workd..."(p20)

Spirits among us are here to express love.Their attempts to get our attention are from that motivation.Ghosts on the other hand are much more complicated and varied in their reasons.

By not transcending to the other side, ghosts are not able to bi-locate"There are no simultaneous appearences of a single ghost as there can be with a single spirit."(p21)

Ghosts tend to remain in or near the same location.

Spirits tend to appear in a form that we may recognize whereas ghosts do not care if we recognize them or not.They may appear as balls of heavy mist.The appearance of ghosts is one other way in which they may be unpredictable.

Two things not mentioned that are commonly referred to is the familiar scent often associated with a spirit and the ice cold sensation often surrounding a ghost appearance.
To my knowledge these are the main things different in the appearances of ghosts and of spirits...

The Difference Between Spiirits and Ghosts...Beginning Thoughts

A study several years ago which I saw but can not reference, said that three of every five people believe in or have seen ghosts in the US alone.Spirits and ghosts are reported in all countries of the world within all cultures and religions.

It is generally accepted that the ghost is an earthbound spirit.Most feel that the ghost has not "gone to the light" or "gone on to the other side" but is bound to a particular locale for whatever reasons..Some of the reasons may include a strong attraction to or investment in a particular place;a desire for revenge;seeking a lost love or a sudden unexpected and unrecognized death.

Now, it is not uncommon to see several programs on TV where mediums communicate with the dead.Many are quite moving and seem real to any observer.Usually the receiver of the messages, whether previously a believer or not, ends up because of the specific nature of the mediums message as a believer.This exposes thousands of persons who might not otherwise have had such contact with this process.No studies yet indicate what difference this makes in the number of believers in communication with the dead.It remains a process highly criticized by skeptics as the exchange with BW and JP on The View last week demonstrates.

Anyway, it is possible to believe in spirits and life after death without believing in communication with the spirits of the dead.I think it is possible to believe in ghosts without believing in communication with the dead.I do not know what those who do not believe in God think about spirit communication or ghosts.
Neither do I know whether they might believe in Reincarnation but guess that it would be more likely than believing in spirit communication.
However,I wonder how they explain Past Life Regressions or if that is a write off in their book.... What about place memories?

I would like to know and hope some might share their views about it.What do you think?Can you believe in Ghosts and not believe in God?Can you believe in Past Lives and not believe in God?What happens when a person who does not believe in God sees a spirit or a ghost?...Tell me.

Any way, these thoughts stopped me going on about the differences between spiiirits and ghosts that I read recently.Will do that next time....

The One Shy Violet

Correction Of Shyviolet's Feature

Guess what,I thought there were several stores of one seller named shyviolet and featured work and story accordingly.That was my mistake.The shyviolet I was featuring is only one..So this correction to my last post goes with the story of the miracle she witnessed below the other video,,,and this video is her work.Thank you for your patience.I am sorry for the error.
Here is some thing about my shyviolet...
ShyViolet is my only store - the other three ShyVioletSomethings are other people (at least two... their locations are Calgary, Canada, and Sydney, Australia... I'm outside Washington, DC). The description of me as a person on your blog is taken from someone else's store description - I'm not a mother, etc. I only make jewelry and I am not associated with the other ShyViolets. In fact, I've contemplated asking Etsy admin to try to encourage them to pick other names, but hadn't because I wasn't sure people would be confused since our work is so different. Cecelia

I sell at private home parties and teach jewelry-making. If you're in the DC or northern Virginia area and are interested in a home party or in lessons, send me a convo!


Each Shy Violet piece is handcrafted with great care and attention to detail so you can treasure your Shy Violet jewelry for years to come. From soft lavender fluorite to fiery red carnelian, delicate sterling silver to bold carved wood, there is jewelry for every taste and every occasion.
Her store is the Shyviolet that says designs
http://shyviolet.etsy.com

ShyViolet sees a miracle

ShyViolet is a talented Etsy Artist.She has several shops with a variety of items.Check out her store ;isting and visit any or all of the shops that interest you.The video has some things from each.
She describes herself in the profile:"Happy, hot-headed, thrifty, compassionate, impatient, deep, collector, crafty, loyal, funny, fierce, strong, resourceful, creative, organized, type A, relentless, whimsical, tolerant, insightful, eclectic, believer, daughter, sister, mother, aunt, wife, friend."
"I've been artistic and creative my whole life. My mom taught me how to sew when I was a little girl, I used to make clothes for my Barbies and other dolls. I recently started sewing again thanks to my baby girl. She inspires me to create cute and unique baby items.
Each Shy Violet piece is handcrafted with great care and attention to detail so you can treasure your Shy Violet jewelry for years to come. From soft lavender fluorite to fiery red carnelian, delicate sterling silver to bold carved wood, there is jewelry for every taste and every occasion."
I have always enjoyed being creative, and I have played with everything from clay and plastic to paints and charcoal. My favorite is jewelry. I love the colors and the natural beauty of the stones, and the way that a piece can show a mood or feeling. I enjoy making people look good, seeing people smile when they put on a Shy Violet creation. I like making people feel beautiful!"The shops are available at
http://shyviolet.etsy.com


Here is her interesting story in her own words
"I've seen a lot of answered prayers. Some of the most dramatic were when I was on a mission trip to Thailand. One lady who lived in a slum where we visited accepted Christ (a couple weeks before I met her) and said that she believed God had allowed her to live to be 100 years old so that she wouldn't die without knowing Him. I don't know if there were records showing when she was born, but she looked 100. While I was there, her grand daughter asked us to pray for the old lady because she was blind. Honestly, none of us expected her to be healed, but we prayed for her anyway - I mean, at 100, sure God COULD heal her, but we thought it was probably pretty unlikely.
So we all prayed for her and then for several other people and just chatted with some people for a while. Several minutes later she told the Thai pastor we were working with that he was wearing a blue shirt (he was). So we quizzed her and she told us what colors everyone was wearing, how many fingers the pastor was holding up, etc. It was really neat. She TOTALLY took it in stride too... we were all "What? She can see?! WOW! A miracle! We really got to see a miracle!"


Thank you For that inspiring story.

Nutsesnaturally@Etsy

Place Memories or Imprints

Some time ago an example of a place haunting was mentioned.Someone asked about it,and thought they had experienced it at a Gettysburg Battlefield.I have read about one man a former Army Officer now retired who had experienced a similar occurrence there.

Briefly the terms to explain these are called Place Hauntings,Place Memories,oe Imprints.It is thought that events transpired in the specific area that were so profoundly strong in emotion evoked that the energy remains.An extremely intense concentration of dramatic events and feelings are generated within this area which may affect anyone passing through the area.Those who in this way see the visions and /or experience the emotions contribute this to the situation thus strengthening it.

One area in Northern California,Pacheco Pass is noted for this imprint..A variety of images,sounds and smells have been reported when crossing through this area.Covered wagons burning,Indians being beaten when chained or circling wildly on horseback;Spanish soldiers gathered around a hanging corpse and sometimes Mexicans and Americans in bloody mortal hand to hand combat.
Not a fun place to visit...

"Old George" A Spirit Of Loving Duty

In an old Mental Hospital in Maryland with he history of raw emotion and agony endured, it might be expected that many spirits or ghosts would hover about.Actually it is a rare occasion of seeing or hearing of such things.Some research in the early 1980's reflected that the patients considered the housekeeping staff in 70% of their responses to be the one who made them feel the best about their hospitalization.Perhaps that was true in the early 1900's as well.In fact during those times and for five decades to follow, the mental patient seldom saw a Professional staff member during their hospitalization.Sometimes one nurse would be responsible for up to three hundred patients.At that time these hospitals were huge communities usually self sustaining with farm, dairy,machine shops and the elements of a small town.At this hospital which was built and opened in 1898 that had been the case.Housing was provided for the staff.Families tended to remain there working from generation to generation.

I heard the story from the staff there and saw the results on one occasion of an old man employed in housekeeping as had been his father and grandfather who had been a freed slave.The housekeeping employee was called "Old George" and beloved by patients and staff.He took his job very seriously and kept everything "clean as a pin."This was before the time of disposable supplies for everything so the worst part of any unit was the Dirty Utility Room.This is where all the treatment and personal use items were put and the responsible staff member was to go back,clean them up,wash and steraize everything and return it to the Clean Utility Room,
wrap it in sterile coverings then return it to be ready for use.George was at his heoric best from the staff point of view since without a grumble he would clean up everything there leaving it ready to be autoclaved.He would even clean and sterilize any bed pans should any be there as some resourceful staff member showed him how to use that machine.The clean and neat room made him feel good he said.
He spent time helping the patients with their cleaning chores and talking with them.Several times he was able to talk someone into the seclusion room when it was necessary.
Sadly,one evening when going down the steps between wards,he fell.His serious injuries prevented his return to work and within three weeks he died.There was a memorial service for him quite well attended by all.

About two months after his death,noises were heard in the Dirty area.Staff saw no one there. Shortly thereafter the night shift complimented the evening shift on the two adjacent wards on how clean the Dirty Room was at the change of shift.(Highly unusual,mostly this was an area of complaints and excuses.)
The head nurse of the two units became interested in this unusual situation and began to watch as did the charge nurses.All noticed a lot of people take things in and come right out.No time to have cleaned anything. Several spoke of hearing noises and finding no one there.Sometimes the water was running in the empty room.

It was finally determined about a year before I came to do my Student Teaching there that it was "Old George"keeping his wards clean.No one ever saw him but did see his handiwork.Once after a peek in and seeing a big mess, I watched the door for almost an hour.No staff took the time to clean anything.Shift change was approaching.One nurse said "Oh George will get it.God Bless him."I heard nothing at that time but went in right before the shift report and there it was.A carefully cleaned organized stack of equipment and basins.The cabinets and floor were also spotless.I became a Georgr believer after that day.What a nice man and a gentle loving soul.

A Cavorting Cadaver

Bill's Cavorting Cadaver

Four housemates,Ron,Bob,Don and Bill lived together during their years in Medical School at UVA.I met them when they were third year students.They hhad many fascinating stories to tell about their experiences.I believed most especially if told by Bob or Bill.This was told by Ron.

In the study of Anatomy,the first year Med Students were paired for lab with an assigned cadaver.This class had an uneven number of students so Bill had one alone.This was a very important if not very pleasant part of the over all study.From the first second day of lab throughout the semester things did not go well for Bill.It seems his cadaver was unhappy with the arrangement.Every evening each student cleaned up the area,covered the cadaver and prepared the instruments for the next day.

Each day when they arrived,Bill's cadaver was uncovered with instruments all over the body and the floor not in order on the table as required.Initially, the instructors were quite angry and critical of him for not preparing adequately.Soon several students came forward and said as they had worked late in the lab,Bills area was neat and ready when they left at midnight.

One night,Bill and his instructor were working until about 1AM for some make up work.Bill cleaned up as usual which the instructor watched.Just as the two of them were leaving,there was a big crash.They turned at the door and saw the instruments being flung all around the table.They got out fast

.From then on, no one said anything to Bill but simply helped him pick up and arrange for the lab that day.No explanation or investigation was ever made.No one worked alone in the lab or would stay after midnight for the rest of the time.
The video has anatomical pictures not for the fain hearted...

A Noise Upstairs

Randy is a nurse in Ambulatory Care.His wife Addy is a clinical specialist in Rehab.They recently bought their first home.They are expecting their second child and were delighted to find a nicely kept 4 bedroom split level.They could keep their office at home and each child would have a room.

The house was on a wooded lot in a new development.With the usual massive undertaking of a move they were settled in within a week.
Excited as kids they sat in the downstairs den to share some champagne in celebration of unpacking.Their three year old daughter Megan was asleep upstairs in her new room.

As they snuggled on the couch,They heard a thump on the floor above and the sound of blocks being thrown around out of the toy box no doubt.With a sigh and "Oh No, Guess who woke up."Addy went up to check.She soon returned and said "That is strange,Megan is still in bed but there were blocks all over the floor.I thought you cleaned up before you put her down tonight,"

"Well I did, you know you checked the room before we came down here.No blocks were out."snapped Randy.
"Don't get bent out of shape"replied Addy."No big deal."

Three days later,Addy was home alone.While downstairs washing,she heard noises upstairs sounding like a child running and laughing.Randy teased her when he and Megan got home.
The next night while Addy was at a friends house,Randy and Megan heard the same thing.Megan clapped her hands and rushed upstairs saying "Sissy,Sissy.play."
Two nights later they found Megan sitting on her bed as a ball was bouncing around the room.She told her astonished parents that Sissy came to play a lot.Sissy had no Mommy so did not go to bed....

Is Sissy an imaginary playmate?Doesn't sound like it to me...

Jailed Inside A Struggle With A Dead Father

Kate had been drinking her way through a bottle of whiskey for the better part of two hours now, and her apartment getting blurry. She supposed that wasn’t surprising. She hadn’t turned on a light when she’d come home, and the room was lit only by the grainy picture on the television screen. Still, even in the faint, grayish light, the badge sitting on the coffee table stood out like a beacon, at least to her.

It wasn’t her badge. That had been taken from her. No, this one had belonged to her father. It should have been turned in, but his sudden death had brought out a sympathetic streak in one of the bureau officers, and she’d been able to secure it as a memento.

The badge glinted at her. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to will it into focus or not. But whether or not her eyes could see it, it was etched on her mind’s eye. It wasn’t a comforting sight. The badge was accusing her, screaming at her, telling her what a disappointment she was, that she hadn’t managed to save her own father, that she’d befriended one of those
things that murdered him, that she’d been kicked off the Force for her stupidity, her recklessness, her idiocy.
And it said it in her father’s voice.

Deciding it was pointless to pretend she wasn’t haunted by it, at least not while she was alone, and she was always alone, Kate picked it up. The weight of it was surprising for something so relatively small.

“Weighs the whole damn world, doesn’t it, Dad?” she said out loud. “That’s what it is, isn’t it? The world sitting right here, or at least the responsibility to protect everyone in it.”

She’d been a good cop, and she knew it on some level deep underneath the booze and the pain. She knew that she wasn’t responsible for her father’s death, and she even knew Angel wasn’t. But she didn’t care. She wanted, needed, had to blame someone or she would go insane, if sitting in her apartment and talking to a dead man’s police badge wasn’t crazy already.

“It was the world to you, anyway,” she said, “so I made it mine, too. I don’t even know if I ever wanted to be a cop or if I just wanted to be part of your world. But now it’s gone, and you’re gone, and what’s that leave me with?”

The badge shone back at her, unrelenting, and she closed a fist around it, feeling the metal branding its shape on her palm. A scream built in the pit of her stomach, and she raised her arm to hurl against the far wall the symbol of everything she’d ever lost, but she stopped her arm, and the sound died before it reached her lips. With an exhausted groan, she put the badge back on the table, then collapsed against the couch cushions, sleeping in a twisted, spine-defying position.

I do not know the author of this story.A friend sent it to me.She thinks it was an entry,probably fiction,in a short story contest.
As Bridget herself is following her father in Law Enforcement, she found it particularly interesting.She lives in a haunted house...

A Crying Baby 's Horror Story

Nothing seems more difficult for a parent to manage than the death of a child.It is very difficult for the Health Care Professionals to deal with as well.To imagine the death of a child at the parents own hand is even a worse double tragedy.
A friend of mine who works in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is an exceptionally sensitive and good nurse.Recently her sensitivity made life even more difficult for her and her family.

She and her husband adopted a toddler.They were quite delighted with the tiny dark haired,brown eyed beauty of the 18 month old daughter.They were told her name was Abigale.She was the middle child of three whose parents could not take care of properly.She "suffered some minor abuse but was now healthy."

Abigale did not yet speak but had begun to walk.She was a happy and loving child during the day but appeared cowering while crying and whimpering during the night.Nothing B or R would do seemed to calm her.She was somewhat more comfortable out of her room.No one was getting much sleep.B had taken a leave from work for a few months so the family could get settled.She was quite thankful she had done so."I could not have managed the stress at work especially without sleep"she said.

One night as they were in the master bedroom, all three together,they heard noises from the baby's room.R went to investigate and found a window open.Toys had been flung from the shelf.The musical mobile on the crib was spinning.He called B and she with the baby came to see.No one could figure out what was happening.They straightened up as Abigale cried frantically and returned to the other room.Abigale was looking frightened and whimpering.Within an hour they again heard noises but this time there was a loud wailing.It sounded like an infant.
Puzzled, they went to a cousin's house near by for the rest of the night.Abigale was quiet and went to sleep.

The cousin was a medium and said he thought the house had spirits present.He returned with B the next day.Abigale was so upset in her room that B took her back to stay with the cousin's wife and children.When she returned, she found the cousin sitting on the floor and apparently playing with a child.When she came in they both heard the loud wailing of an unseen baby.The medium talked to the baby and told it that they understood that he and his sister were safe now and could go to the light.Abigale was safe they need not watch her.

He told B and R that the parents of the three children had killed the older and the younger children and were about to go after Abigale when the police arrived.That the two bodies had been put in the freezer at their old house.A neighbor heard the noise and called the police.It was thought that Abigale was the only child.The other two were supposedly in foster care.

The medium had worked with two of the detectives a few times so he called one of them.When they checked the home,the bodies were discovered.It seemed that although the parents had been arrested for abusing Abigale,the house had not been searched.The parents had told neighbors that the others were in foster care.There was no record of that.They told the police that the others were staying with a Brother In Law who said they were there and identified two of the children in his home as the ones of the couple and he intended to care for them but could not manage all three.He said the infant "cried all the time."He also agreed to do the paper work with Social Service to keep the two he said were in his home.

The parents were convicted for the murders about a year later.The lying Brother in law testified against them and was not sentenced.
Such a tragic story.But B and R had no further difficulties in the home.Abigale began to thrive and talk.They believe the spirits of the two siblings were watching over her and now are at peace.

The Haunted Monk

In a secluded mountain setting in the South is a group of monks quietly undertaking their chosen meditation and work.Only about 4 are younger than 40.Most are over 60 years of age and those have been there for decades.(The original and older monks are buried there in the community graveyard.)They tell the newcomers and those who come there for a restful visit of the monk who haunts the cemetery and the outbuilding serving as a barn although in earlier times it was the stable.The monk had come as an abandoned child and spent twenty five years there.Growing into a strong man,he had a special gift with horses and served the community by caring for the horses and farm equipment.

One night he rode through a storm to bring the vet for a horse that was foaling.On their return,his horse stepped in a hole, fell and broke it's leg.He himself took a bad hit on the head.When he regained consciousness, he had to shoot his horse to end the suffering.He then walked back and found the mare and the foal had both died.He was distraught and blamed himself.He mourned and spoke of his blame and deep lonliness and feeling that God had abandoned him.He considered the horses his best friends and now three were dead.He felt as if it was by his own hand no matter what the others said.He buried the horses in the regular graveyard although most of the others were against the idea.He vowed never to leave them.

Apparently the head injury had been more severe than realized,likely a subdural hematoma,for in a few days he died.The young monk was moruned by the Brethern.

Within three weeks the sightings began and have continued.The form of the monk in a hooded black cape is seen pacing about the graves moaning and crying.
I have not seen this but heard it from three reliable sources including one of the monks.So sad.

Is There A "Dog Man"?

It is said that in Wisconsin in the past 7 years there have been over 100 recorded sightings of one or more large hairy creatures that have been reported in the area for over 100 years.Originally they were thought to be werewolves but it was later changed to be called "Dog Men". The variety of persons seeing and reporting the creature run the gamut from children,elderly,white collar and blue collar workers.
It is described as from 6 to 8 feet tall,covered in black hair,walks upright and has red eyes.
One family saw three such creatures drinking from a creek using their hands as a human would.The creatures started toward them and they rushed to their truck and left as soo as possible.
One hunter has seen a single such creature along certain game tracks five times.
By the way,it has feet that look like humans.They also can jump fairly high on two feet.The creature also unlike reports of others often makes eye contact directly with the observer.
Five of the people reporting had polygraph tests that showed they were honest about their sightings.

What do you think?How is this different from Big Foot. I wonder....

"Sooo" From The Lizzie Borden Room

some say the Lizzie Borden house is the most haunted house in the USA.It is now both a museum and a Bed and Breakfast.According to reports, it does a good business.
In looking for scientific proof of ghosts.The Monster Quest staff investigated the Lizzie Borden home.It has been featured in several programs with little evidence obtained rather than personal experiences.In this incidence,several thermal images reflected unexplainable occurrences of hot and cold.One cold, often presumed to be related to supernatural occurrences,was completely around and behind the rocking chair in the maid's room that had been seen to move but not on camera.
Significantly,however the audio in the Lizzie bedroom did pick up "Sooo" as the investigators were finishing up.A voice expert acknowledged the imprint as an audible voice.It was said you would have to be close to the microphone to record this whisper.The camera showed that no one was near the bed where the recorder was places.Interestingly enough, the same thing was recorded on the camera microphone which was across the room from the other...

.It was said that 33% of Americans believe in Ghosts.Would you consider this to be a haunting at this infamous home?

Newest At Nursesnaturally.etsy.com

Two Thumps And An Opening Door

I heard recently what I considered a reasonable reaction from a couple of older nurses who finally got the farm home they wanted for years.
I knew FS when he was Director of Nursing at a State Hospital.I took each group of students over for a day to tour and hear the history and problems of the hospital.We lost touch for years after a particularly enthusiastic group wrote a Letter to The Editor of a leading newspaper in the State promoting the lack of interest/funding in the grave situation of the hospital by the State Legislators and Governor.Initially the University applauded both me and the students for their interest.Several days later tho there was a big deal and my resignation and "efforts to censor that group of students" was called for by State Officials both in the paper and to administration.To shorten a long story,which is likely not of much interest,there was no censure.I was leaving at the end of the year anyway but FS was fired.
To continue the Medical Resident experience,no student nurses or med students would be allowed to visit.(Mental Illness is and has always been a "political football.")
I was glad and relieved when F and MS forgave me some years later.

For years they had wanted a farm in the rolling hills.Last year, they finally got one.They were very excited.The old home dated before the Civil War.Their plan was to redo it.

Two weeks after moving in, they began to hear a series of two loud thumps and footsteps in the house.
One evening after returning from the Symphony they were sitting in the kitchen sipping tea when the door to the dining room slowly opened.They made out the figure of a man.
F grabbed his gun from the cabinet and shot twice at the entity.The entity seemed to move toward them.They ran out got in the car and raced away.They never returned.
Now they are living in a small Condo in town and love it..