How to Talk to the Dead

Would you like to have a word with your long-departed mother? How about experiencing a hug from your deceased grandfather?

The world's foremost expert on the near-death experience and the afterlife says he did just that, and you can too, simply by using a mirror and following the easy guidelines offered by Dr. Raymond Moody below. Moody's technique involves gazing into a large mirror, an ancient technique to receive visions. For example, the great seer Nostradamus used this method to see into the future. Here is Dr. Moody's method:

(1) Get into a serene state of mind by eliminating caffeine and dairy products the day before your encounter. Eat simply, such as only fruit and vegetables.

(2) Go to the quietest part of your home. Leave your wristwatch and all jewelry off. Wear only loose, comfortable clothing. It is important to find a comfortable place where you can truly relax. Unplug clocks and phones in that room so as not to be disturbed. The goal is to ease the transition into an altered state of awareness. Posture is important. Sit in a comfortable chair that will support the back of your head, even if you are deeply relaxed. Place a large mirror in front of your chair and arrange it so that you can gaze into it without having to hold your eyes at an uncomfortable angle.

(3) Create a mood by soothing yourself with beauty for about 15 minutes by looking or listening to works of art. Art alone is enough to induce altered states in many people. Soft music can go far to stimulate awareness.

(4) Gather photographs and personal items of your departed loved one around you. Touch them and remember your loved ones fondly. It is important to imprint that person firmly in your mind. Doing so shouldn't be too difficult. A family album filled with great memories stirs up the conscious as well as the unconscious mind. Family films and videos do the same thing. Some people use articles of clothing associated with the person. Such items include fishing poles, woodworking tools, chess sets, pipes, glasses, old letters, and so on. Anything associated with that person is an effective way of bringing up memories and feelings.

(5) In the twilight of the day, light a candle and place it behind you. Dim light from behind usually works the best, although you will have to experiment until you get the lighting just right. The twilight hours are a time that seems to better inspire altered states in many people. Later, when you become more proficient, you will find that mirror gazing is possible even in bright lights.

(6) The technique of mirror gazing itself is remarkably easy. Seated comfortably, relax and gaze into the clear depth of the mirror without trying to see anything. Some compare this to looking off into the distance. Properly relaxed, your arms will feel very heavy and the tips of your fingers will tingle as though charged slightly by electricity. This tingling feeling almost always signals the beginning of the hypnagogic state (altered consciousness).

(7) The mirror will most likely become cloudy now. Some people report an image that resembles the sky on a cloudy day. Others say that the mirror becomes darker. Whatever the case, this change in the clarity of the mirror signals you that the visions are about to appear.

(8) Do not direct the experience at first or pose particular questions when the visions appear. It is best to first watch them unfold passively. Just let the images flow. Attempting to guide the images decrease the likelihood that one will see images in the mirror. After you have become more adept at mirror gazing, putting specific questions into your mind before entering the trance state can be very helpful, especially if your object is self-exploration or self-understanding. Attempting to direct images after they have begun will usually cause them to fade away. Why this happens Dr. Moody is not sure, but his guess is that conscious thought brings you out of the hypnagogic state of mind where these images occur.

How long do the images last? Usually less than a minute, especially for those unable to stay relaxed. Some of Dr. Moody's subjects have been able to maintain images for as long as ten minutes on their first attempt. The more proficient you become at mirror gazing, the longer you will see images in the mirror.

Sometimes you may see nothing yet hear the departed person talk or feel his or her touch. Some may experience all the sensations of a given person, or location, without actually seeing anything. Sometimes, like Nostradamus, you may have the sensation of passing into the mirror, or the images may actually come out to be with you. Whatever the case, it will be obvious when the visionary experience starts and when it is over.

Dr. Moody recommends that you record the experience immediately after the session as you would a dream. Write it down in as much detail as possible. Careful record keeping will help you know what to expect the next time you mirror gaze. It will also show differences between sessions and will eventually let you know how to get the most out of your mirror-gazing experience. Recording your experiences will also help you remember them as they really were.

If the visions do not occur during a session, then it is necessary to consider some of the possible factors involved. The most common reason for failing to see anything is trying too hard. People sometimes report that the visions miraculously begin after they give up, or at least after they entertain thoughts of doing so. Distractions are another common reason that visions fail to take place. These can include outside noise and physical discomfort. Perhaps the room is too hot or too cold, or maybe it is just too noisy. Distractions also take place in the form of diet. Some people simply cannot have visionary experiences after eating a heavy meal, though a light one is recommended since it elevates your blood sugar and keeps you from focusing on your hunger.

Dr. Moody also emphasizes that exercise is an important component of relaxation. Most people are far more relaxed after even gentle exercise and have lower blood pressure and a slower heart rate to prove it. If you are having difficulty relaxing, or letting your mind wander while mirror gazing, it might be due to a lack of exercise.

Some people even use meditation and consider the visions an interesting by-product.

"There should be no fear of death, for the death of the body is but a gentle passing to a much freer life." - Helen Greaves

- Adapted from "Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon" - Raymond A. Moody Jr.

The Amityville Hoax

It all started in November of 1973, when twenty-three Ronald DeFeo, while high on heroin, shot and killed his four siblings and both of his parents. DeFeo was tried, convicted and sentenced to six life sentences for the crime.

The following year, 1974, again in November, George and Kathy Lutz purchased the DeFeo house, a six bedroom Colonial with a swimming pool and its own boathouse, located in the Long Island community of Amityville. The purchase price was reportedly eighty-thousand dollars. On December 12th, the Lutzs and their children moved into the house. A month later, on January 13, 1975; they moved out, supposedly in fear for their lives.

According to the Lutzs, they were driven from the house by supernatural forces, which began to occur the day they moved in. On that day, a family friend, Father Frank Mancuso, dropped by to bless the house. During the benediction, a booming male voice was heard, ordering them to "Get Out!” Over the nest few weeks, a string of strange occurrences followed. The Lutz’s youngest child encountered, in her bedroom, a pig with "glowing red eyes." A heavy door was mysteriously torn from its hinges. George Lutz saw his wife, Kathy, levitating above their bed, and on another occasion, Lutz heard band music while in the living room and went to investigate. Failing to find the source, he returned to find the living room rug rolled up and the furniture moved around the room. Finally, during a torrential rainstorm, with winds of "hurricane strength", and the electrical power out, the Lutzs fled the house, leaving their belongings behind.

Approximately a year afterwards, author Jay Anson heard of the events in Amityville, and contacted the Lutz family. He was given exclusive rights to the story in exchange for an even split of the royalties. Anson's retelling of the story, "The Amityville Horror", became a best seller in both hardcover and paperback, was made into a highly successful movie, and later, a somewhat less successful sequel. The Lutz’s month of terror had made them and Anson relatively wealthy.

But then the bubble started to burst. It turned out that Anson had developed the story not from personal interviews with the Lutzs, but from forty-five hours of previously taped interviews provided to him by George Lutz. Lutz had also been talking with William Weber, an attorney representing none other than Ronald DeFeo. Defeo, having failed at an insanity plea, was trying to get a new trial through a "the devil made me do it" ploy, claiming the same supernatural forces that had tormented the Lutzs had forced him to commit his crime. (He failed.) Neither was Jay Anson the first writer Lutz had been in contact with.

Before Anson had ever heard of the Lutzs, they had struck a tentative deal with author Paul Hoffman to tell their story, but the deal had eventually fell through, resulting in the Lutzs taking Hoffman to court. This was a big mistake on their part. Under oath, George Lutz admitted that the incidents involving the band music and the rolled up rug and moving living room furniture and the door being ripped from its hinges had never happened. Nor had a supernatural voice ordered them from the house the day of its blessing. Indeed the house had never been "formally" blessed at all, not by Father Mancuso or any other priest. Lutz further stated that he "may have been only dreaming" when he saw his wife levitating above their bed. And no, he had never seen a pig, red-eyed or otherwise in his daughter’s room. As for the "hurricane strength" rainstorm that knocked out power the day the Lutzs fled the house, weather reports that day only indicated "traces" of precipitation, with no reported power outages.

The whole thing was obviously a hoax or scam, but the question remains: Why?

The truth was never revealed. However certain information, which came to light later, allows some educated guesses to be made. Although the house was fairly priced at eighty-thousand dollars, "People Magazine" found out that the Lutzs had only budgeted forty-thousand for their home purchase. Further, when they abandoned the house, the furniture they left behind was described as "cheap knock off". With these facts, it is easy to assume that the simplest solution is the correct one: money. The Lutzs had apparently gotten in over their head and this was the only solution they could find that to salvage something from impending financial disaster.

Within a year, the house had new owners, James and Barbara Cromarty and their children. "The book is completely untrue" Barbara told "People Magazine", "this is a lovely home." None of the Cromartys have ever seen or experienced any supernatural occurrences. The only problems they have had have been from people wanting to see "The Amityville Horror."

Edinburgh Castle - A Drummer and a Piper

Edinburgh Castle is reputed to be one of the most haunted castles in Scotland. Among its many ghosts are a phantom piper and a headless drummer.

Under Edinburgh runs a series of secret tunnels that run though to the Royal Mile. The tunnels were found one hundred years ago; upon their discovery a piper was first sent down the tunnels to explore. The piper was instructed to keep playing his pipes so those above could track his progress. Half way down the Royal Mile, the piping suddenly stopped. A rescue party was sent but no trace was ever found of the piper - he simply vanished. The ghost of the piper haunts the secret tunnels and his music can often be heard in the castle when his ghost walks the underground tunnel beneath the Royal Mile.

Many visitors to the castle have heard the unearthly sound of drums. It is rumored that the drummer's ghost only appears when the castle is about to be attacked. The drummer is the ghost of a young boy who appears without a head, first seen before Cromwell's attack on the castle in 1650.

More information about Edinburgh Castle can be found at http://www.edinburghcastle.biz/

The Science and Paranormal Conflict

When most scientists attempt to debunk a supposed sighting, their first impression is most commonly, “there is no scientific proof of the existence of ghosts.” This theory may be wrong. Science may have theories in order to explain what may be happening beyond what we know and what we can see.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Time Magazine's Man of the Century and one of the greatest minds the world has known, taught us that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy can only be changed from one form into another form. Definition: no matter what, energy cannot be destroyed.

Human beings possess electrical and chemical energy in our bodies. We are organically designed to carry our electrically charged brain and nervous systems. When a human being dies, the chemicals within the body begin to break down and decompose. The organic side of the body returns to wear it came from; energy changing into a different form of energy, as Einstein's law says. What happens to the electrical energy that flows through the brain? The energy cannot simply disappear or fade away from existence, breaking the laws of science. That energy exists, albeit transformed into a different form of energy. What happens to the energy may be determined by personal faith. What waits beyond this life is unknown. However, what is known, thanks to science, the electrical pulse energy in each human being will always exist. As a rule it “cannot be destroyed.”

Another great scientist who believed in life after death was Thomas Edison, (1847-1931). Edison was a genius ahead of his time. The light bulb, phonograph, typewriter, electric motor, stock ticker are noted as Edison’s greatest inventions. However, one-thousand ninety-three patented inventions are attached to the Edison legacy. An invention that Edison worked on at the end of his career was a secret project; a machine that would allow the living to see and communicate with the souls of the dead.

Edison believed the soul was made up of what he referred to as “life units.” These microscopic particles or life units could rearrange into any form. The units of the soul retained full memory, personality and were indestructible. Edison's machine could detect these life units in the environment and allow an individual to communicate with the dead. Edison strived many years to complete his new creation. Sadly, Edison died before the invention was finished. Skeptics refer to Edison as crazy. Others surmise that he was onto something bigger than the idea of the light bulb. Some believe, given a little more time, Edison might have opened incredible doors. Had Edison completed his invention, society might have found itself existing in an exceptionally different world today.

In most ghost haunting and paranormal investigation, some claim there are certain electrical elements at work. Using EMF detectors, paranormal investigators are able to monitor electrical forces. The EMF device may be used to examine and record the smallest fluctuation in the surrounding electromagnetic field. Electrical appliances, such as television sets and computers reflect higher distortions rather than a lamp or toaster. Some claim entities are present as higher levels of electromagnetic distortions are read by EMF. Often, many believe distortions may cause interference with some functions of computers systems as well as audio and video equipment.

The presence of ghosts may be recorded as temperature changes. Fluctuations of more than 10 degrees have been recorded in smaller rooms containing constant temperatures. Scientific studies show there must be some form of energy present in order to alter the temperature. Temperature should not change unless some type of interference is affecting it in one way or another. Often, a witness believing one has made contact with the unknown, report feeling cold spots. Cold spots may be caused by light reflecting incorrectly off most entities, creating a dark form. The light seemingly absorbs into the ghost. Theorists claim ghosts absorb both light and heat energy, causing the general area around the ghost to be several degrees cooler. Hot spots have been reported, as well. A hot spot may simply be the reverse affect of a cold spot; instead of soaking up the light and heat the ghost is reflecting it back, causing the area to be warmer.