Tuesday, September 18, 2007

The paranormal is intrusive – don’t invite it home

Mary moved into an old farmhouse outside St. Louis in February 2006, away from highways, concrete oceans and close neighbors. She generally stayed alone and things were relatively quiet … until something came into her home.

“Shortly after (moving in), on a whim I bought a book about spirit summoning, spells and other bits of magic,” she said. ”I thought it would be fun to try a spell, so I did. Nothing life altering, something cute and mild, although it escapes me what I was trying to do at the time.”

Casting the first spell roused her curiosity further, so she tried more. That’s when her trouble began.

“I have always had a mild interest in the occult, and also enjoy a good scare now and again,” she said. “But I am beginning to wonder if I might not have created some problems for myself unintentionally.”

Mary may have invited negative entities into her home. According to “Disciple To Magic” by Rev. Lucian Agrippa Melampus’ Paul, spells and rituals “open the spiritual doors to powers and forces unseen;” doors that may best remain closed.

As the spells increased, strange shadows began appearing to Mary.

“It seemed the more I did the more I began to see these shadow people,” Mary said. “At first it was just out of the corner of my eye and only for a fleeting few seconds.”

But the shadows moved in and made themselves at home. Mary stopped casting spells, but the shadows have not left her.

“They continued to progress, however, to a point where they were no longer just out of the corner of my eye, and while they wouldn’t sit down and have a cup of coffee, they seemed to linger,” she said. “I have a feeling both my cat and my dog see them even better than I do, as they will throw fits for no reason even in broad daylight.”

The back door to Mary’s home started opening on its own, straight razor blades have began appearing in odd places around her house, and the shadows have become bolder.

“I’m not just seeing shadow people anymore; I’m seeing actual things with color and features. It is rare, but it does happen,” she said. “I’m also beginning to hear things.”

Mary’s heard her name screamed in the house at night while sleeping, and during the day when she’s fully awake.

“I don’t have close neighbors, so its not just ambient noise,” she said. “I’ve also heard music. It’s pretty faint, but if I concentrate I can hear the words.”

Dawn, a medium from southern Missouri, is familiar with opening these spiritual doors. During an emotionally stressful time as a teen, she opened one – and let something out.

“They are very dangerous,” she said. “(People) begin to open up the doorways of communication with the other side.”

Negative energies come through these doorways, she said.

“I actually had something evil in my house; this very large dark presence,” Dawn said. “From 18 to 21 I tried hard to ignore it. The more I tried to ignore it, the more things moved in my house. People who haven’t experienced that think it’s make believe … You have to deal with it.”

Mary hasn’t dealt with it. The visitations continue and she’s beginning to doubt her sanity.

“Is it really real?” Mary asked. “I’m really worried that I might be becoming a schizophrenic.”

Or maybe she’s just the host of a house guest she didn’t want to invite.

Copyright 2007 by Jason Offutt

Got a scary story? Ever played with a Ouija board, heard voices, seen a ghost, UFO or a creature you couldn’t identify? Let Jason know about it: Jason Offutt c/o The Examiner, 410 S. Liberty, Independence, Mo. 64050, or jasonoffutt@hotmail.com. Include your name, address and telephone number. Your story might make an upcoming installment of “From the Shadows.”

Jason’s book of ghost stories, “Haunted Missouri: A Ghostly Guide to Missouri’s Most Spirited Spots,” is here. Order online at: https://tsup.truman.edu/store/ViewBook.aspx?Book=849 or visit Jason’s Web site at www.jasonoffutt.com.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think she's becoming schizophrenic or anything of the sort, I mean, I opened one of those doors when I was like 13 or 14 and it's remained opened, and it certainly is true that start to experience some weird stuff. And ignoring it does nothing to solve it.
Overall, a great article.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why The Anomalist keeps linking to these stories. These are tales that even the tellers don't care if they are true or not. Like all other "True Ghost Stories", they are good only for keeping kids' imagination alive, and maybe keep some of them tugged in bed late at night.

Anonymous said...

I really wonder what people think when they read these stories??
I guess most think it's a crock of ... I feel for Mary..She unintentionally let something in and now it won't leave.I've personally have had things like this happen(as well as other "bumps" in the night)Definitely ask for help before things get out of hand!!

Anonymous said...

I believe according to my senses that "shadow people" are the spirits of those who have passed but are yet to acquire the energy needed to be seen fully and until they are able to tap into that energy from the living they remain shadow figures. When the energy is aquired and as they gain more power the "shadow people" are able to manifest themselves in a more convincing way to the human eye and other senses.

Anonymous said...

If you're going to be foolish enough to invite a paranormal presense into your home, you should at least specify that whatever comes may only be of positive energy... It's your intent and will, use it, don't be pushed around...

Anonymous said...

mary im deano formaro i fight demons i can help you get rid of the spirits or anyone else who has spirits for that matter. but you must ask Jesus to help you its threw his power i do this for his glory. theses spirits are demons they must be delt with correctly dbfdeano@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I also have a slight interest in the occult, I've done a few spells here and there, but nothing serious. I too have had experiences. I can tell you they haven't been the best experiences. Although they are similar to yours with shadows, hearing your name, and many others I'm not gonna list, but they are not as common as you say yours is. Just telling you this to say you are not the only one. =]

Anonymous said...

I too feel for Mary, I've only had one small brush with something similar but not at all that much. Demonic I'm certian, but I delt with it quickly; and fourtuneatly it ended. But we must remember, GOD told us, -NOT- to mess with summoning the other side! We've all been told!! So hear it again- It's a BAD idea to flirt with the devil, as often he or his will indeed come to dinner but never do they behave. How many times do we have to be told?

Anonymous said...

I wish these shadow people or ghosts or demons would help y'all with the spell checker. Gads...now that's frightful!

~Sr. A.I.~ said...

This is why people shouldn't dabble in magick without any kind of knowledge or training in controlling their own energies or the energies around them. If Mary had learned some EXTREMELY simple protective measures, this never would have happened. It also still wouldn't be happening even if it did, because she'd know how to get rid of it with banishings. In fact, if she's so bothered by these things, then she can make an equally simple phone call to a reputible medium, Witch, or other ghostbuster/entity-remover of some other denomination (shamans are a good choice) and her problems would be taken care of in a matter of minutes. She needs to psychically clean house. It's that simple.

Anonymous said...

I learned how to cast spells, summon and give leave to the good and bad forces needed to work the spells. It is complex and can be dangerous, so I quit doing that years ago. The one time I carelessly cast a spell on a Hallowe'en night, a demon came screeching at my fourth floor window. That was so dumb of me not to summon and give leave to depart correctly, so I quit that stuff altogether.

Anonymous said...

Stories like this are definitely true. I am living proof, because I have seen it with my own two eyes. I have watched doors open and completely close, one after another throughout the house. Walking in the dark, down a street I used to live on, I have also heard my name whispered quite loudly and then a very strange laugh followed. I cannot tell you exactly what these things are, or if they are all the same things or multiples. I don't know if this story is true, but I know mine is. Believe it people!

Anonymous said...

There's simple routines to help prevent this sort of thing when casting magic,banishing or cleansing rituals before and after, grounding, that sort of thing, this is why you research what you're doing way before you try any of it yourself.

Unknown said...

believe the story, ive done the same thing, but without spells. where i used to lie was always a nice place, then when i was 13 things started moving, doors opened and closed (even when i locked them shut or jammed them). at first it was just one, in my bedroom, but it got worse. they appeared downstairs, sounds first, then shadows, several times a blue-ish being(like a large man) would pace downstairs as if gaurding something. later on, yrs after this started, fully formed people appeared, they even spoke to me. one was especially strong, able to do everything u and i can do in the physical world. she would often wake me (scaring the crap out of me) and sit at the end of my bed or walk around with me. i moved out of the house 7 months ago, but every time i visit i can still feel the energy they use.
its hard to believe i know, it took me 4 years to convince my parents, but they know it now. though since ive moved out, they say that the activity in the house has all but ceased.

ironically, as time went on, i grew to love some of these beings, like the woman, (the blue man and the screams still frighten me) and i miss them now. i truly wish i knew how to invite her and a few other s to my new home.
but like i said, stories like mine happen, mary knows this as do many others. its hard to understand or even grasp if you have never experienced this, but believe me, it happens.