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July 2013 #1 Issue

Magazine

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SPIRITS OR SLEEP PARALYSIS?

By Tim McGovern

ave you ever awoken to the feeling of being completely paralyzed? Did

you feel that there was something or someone in the room when you did? Were you unable to speak or scream for help? You might have experienced what is called sleep paralysis. Or you might have experienced something that was of a spiritual nature of being visited by a dark spirit. Scientists have studied sleep paralysis and the feelings that people have had when they experience it, for several years.

Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon in which people, either when falling asleep or awakening, temporarily experience an inability to move. This could extend even to the ability to speak, or cry out. Scientists have attributed this to muscle atonia (muscle weakness) and consciously waking before your body has fully awakened. Often times, people experience terrifying visions of some kind of intruder but are unable to react due to the paralysis. It is believed a result of disrupted REM sleep, which

is normally characterized by complete muscle atonia that prevents individuals from acting out their dreams. In many cases, scientists state that the reason why these visions occur is because our brain goes into a defensive state of not being able to move, and the increase of adrenaline (fight or flight mode) causes people to see things, searching for a reason for the paralysis.

The most common of these types of incidents last only about a minute to a few minutes, maximum. It is viewed as a form of narcolepsy and can be treated as such from a doctor. If it is true sleep paralysis, and not something spiritual that one is experiencing, there are other ways to

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help prevent this from happening. Sleeping in the supine position (on your back, face up) has been a particular instigator in any kind of sleep paralysis. In this position your soft palate is obstructed and causes your lungs to work harder as there is more pressure on the lungs due to gravity. Some other instigators can be stress, overuse of stimulants, physical

fatigue, eating greasy foods before sleep, not having a regular sleeping pattern, or certain medications that are used to treat ADHD.

As mentioned, scientists have identified many similar stories of visions of intruders. Before the research and technology that we have today, it was commonly known that one was visited by a mare. We can go back as early as the 13th century in German folklore and other cultures

where a “mare” is described as an evil spirit or goblin that rode on a person's chest bringing bad dreams. It is where the term nightmare originated from.

This subject is of particular interest to me, because I have experienced this long before any of this knowledge was known to me. In my situation, I believe and still do to this day, that what I experienced was something spiritual. I opened the door to the situation; it happened more than once; and eventually, I closed the door to the situation by using my faith (instead of fear) to overcome it. After the last time it happened, I called out to God for his help to rebuke the evil spirit, and it never happened again after that. This is my story.

I lived in Mexico for about a year when I was younger. During that time I slept in one of the creakiest beds known to man. One move would make the bed creak or the springs on the bed creak. One night, as I was getting ready for bed, I was talking to my cousin who I spent a lot of time with and also taught me Spanish. I was lying down and then realized I had my wallet in my pocket. She got

startled and told me to take it out and lay it on the nightstand. When I asked her why, she said if I slept with my money, the “Bultos” would come. I laughed and said, "Let them come." I was never the type to be easily scared. So against her pleadings, I purposely slept with my wallet and my money in my pocket to attempt to prove her wrong. Sometime during the night, I woke up. I was able to move at this point. I simply started to go back to sleep when I remembered about what my cousin had said and the money in

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my pocket. I was lying on my stomach and was dozing off wondering if what she said had any merit, when I heard the dogs in the other yard start barking. The place I lived in Mexico was a very small town. It was completely dead silent during the night. So to hear the dogs in the other yard start barking so suddenly and loudly was a bit surprising. As I lay there wondering what caused the dogs to go crazy for a minute, I heard what sounded like the bass of a car with a loud speaker system. Then the same sound again, this time a bit closer. It sounded almost like huge footsteps, but in the form of a loud bass sounding sound. It seemed to get closer and louder with each step, but still I stayed laying there on my stomach just listening. Then it stopped outside the wall and window of where I was sleeping. It was so quiet I almost stopped breathing to see if I heard any other sounds; then I heard one. The bed creaked as if someone was lying next to me. I was facing the other direction so I didn't see anyone, but I stayed still. As the bed creaked with the movement of whatever was next to me, it followed the sound of what I felt next. It felt as if someone rolled right on top of my back, and was lying right on top of me. Only, it wasn't just a physical thing. I couldn't move at all, I couldn't speak or scream, and almost felt as if I couldn't breathe. My other cousin was sleeping on the couch not too far away in the same room and I tried to scream as loud as I could; only

no sound came out. I'm sure it was only about a minute long, but it seemed like forever! Then, whatever was on top of me rolled off of me. I heard the creaking of the bed again, as if someone rolled off of me. Then the loud bass sounds, as if huge footsteps were being taken. The dogs went crazy for a minute again. Then, nothing. I jumped up and woke up my sleeping cousin and made him sleep in the bed with me. After I told him what happened, he also was terrified!

Researchers say that 40% of the human population will experience at one time in their life an event that is similar to the one that I described. Some believe through these experiences are where tales of vampires, demons, fairies, shadow people and many more were developed. Throughout the years, the more common names of these intruders in the night are known as the Hag, Succubus, or Incubus (the male

counterpart of the Succubus).

My experience was almost 19 years ago, but I still remember like it was yesterday. After studying sleep paralysis I have found that some of the things I felt were common to many people experiencing sleep paralysis. While I do not think my case was something scientific, but spiritual, it will be up to you to judge if you are impacted by something spiritual (like I was) or scientific—simply sleep paralysis.

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By Leon Titus

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lthough I have changed for the

good, it certainly didn’t

happen overnight. Coming

from a family that wasn’t always

making the wisest decisions, I got off to

a bad start in life. My dad ended up

being married several times, and my

mom married a man that was always

getting into and causing trouble. I left

the house when I was young and pretty

much had to learn by my own

mistakes. Fortunately, I was in the

prayers of a lot of people. As the years

went on, I started getting it together. I

learned to observe people and see

what made them well liked and

successful. I had a little church

background and developed a thirst for

spiritual knowledge. So as I read the

bible and all sorts of other spiritual

books, I started to make wiser

decisions and learned how to be a good

and caring person. Now I devote my

whole life to helping others get their

life together. I’ve learned to be patient

with people, and come to realize that

everyone has a past, and people don’t

change overnight. However, that

wasn’t always the case. As I started

cleaning up my own life, I was unable

to comprehend how others couldn’t

see their own mess-ups. To me it was

so obvious they were making mistakes,

and in my opinion, there was no way

they couldn’t see the dumb things they

were doing. I come to the conclusion

that they simply didn’t want to change.

Although that may be the case for

some, I now see that I was often times

wrong on my judgments and that

people don’t always see their mistakes.

Several years ago I was

reminded of something that happened

to me in Junior High. I learned to play

guitar when I was only nine years old,

so I usually had two or three

instruments setting around. A friend of

mine from school had a guitar that she

no longer wanted, so she gave it to me.

The neck was bowed, leaving it un-

playable. I just happened to know what

the problem was and knew how to fix

it. There was a rod down the middle of

the guitar-neck. If you turn it clock-

wise, it straightens the neck. I took the

guitar home, found the Allen-wrench

and started cranking on it. As I kept

turning the wrench, I heard a (POP);

the rod in the neck snapped. Now the

guitar was useless. Although I knew

what the problem was and how to fix

it, I failed to realize something. It took

years for that guitar-neck to get into

the condition it was in, and I tried to

change it in five minutes. That lesson

stuck with me for the rest of my life. It

showed me that even though I may

clearly see the problem with

someone’s life and even know how to

fix it, trying to straighten someone out

too fast could cause them to snap. It

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took them years to get into the

condition they’re in, and they can’t

straighten out overnight.

Although there are no secret

ingredients for success, chances are

increased with a normal balanced

family life. However, often times a

balanced start to life doesn’t happen. It

took me many years to change from

the uncaring, mistake making person I

was. I’ve had a lot of people try to help

me throughout my life with advice,

money, and guidance, but often times I

simply wasn’t ready to receive it. Until

a person is ready to change, it simply

won’t happen. Yet even when they’re

ready, it won’t happen overnight. Be

patient with others that don’t seem to

understand or can’t see their mistakes.

My mom tried to give me guidance, but

I didn’t listen. Now I find myself doing

the same things with my children, and

just like me, they do what they want.

Now I look back and think about how

many problems I could have avoided if

I would have listened. Sometimes

when we try to help others, it may

appear as though they’re not hearing

our words, yet they may be storing up

the info for a later date. Don’t give up

on others, just try to be patient and

remember people don’t change

overnight.

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hadow and Spirit Totems

By Tim McGovern

ll of us have these, but these are

the totems that are a little harder

to identify than our power totem

or our birth totem. They are shadow totems

and spirit totems. Both of these animals have

to deal with fear. One is an internal fear that

we might have developed simply by our

own thoughts, or perceptions. The other is

an external fear that is developed by an

actual experience we might have had in our

life. We may have been bitten by this

particular animal, or even attacked by one or

more of this particular animal.

Shadow Totems

In Shamanic circles, shadow totems

are known to be a particular totem that one

feared. This fear is internal. It could be just

the way it looks, something that

we know about the animal, or

something we just can’t explain.

We just don’t like it! This is a

very important lesson to learn.

Remember when we conquer

fear it becomes a power. Many

Shamans believe that fear will

take the shape of an animal that

we need to confront without

fear. If we are successful these

animals become powerful

shadow totems. Once we

conquer the fear, then we can

really explore the message that the particular

animal has for our life. When we fear

animal, at first glance, our fear takes over

and this creates a wall for the message that

we may need to learn. For example, my

shadow totem is snake. It is the only animal

I have ever feared because certain venom

from snakes can kill humans. I used to live

in an area in California where there were

snakes in the hills, and my cousin and I

would go hiking quite a bit. As I got older

and learned more about the snake, I learned

not to fear it. The snake has a powerful

message of transformation. Now if I happen

to see a snake, I am able to listen to the

message of the snake, instead of being

obsessed with my fear of them.

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Spirit Totems

Many people use the term “Spirit

Totem” loosely to mean your "totem"

animal in general, or your power animal.

However, Spirit Totems do have their own

special message in our life. Have you ever

been attacked or bitten by an animal? If you

survive the attack of an animal, that animal

becomes your spirit totem. Many times, this

animal can provide healing to you in a way

that you may not have thought about. For

example, the snake is said to provide

healing. A bite from the snake can be fatal,

but it can also provide the healing necessary

to live through it. A spirit totem does not

have to be a huge animal, like a shark or a

tiger. It can even be a domesticated animal

or very small! Many animals have been

known to attack humans as small as rats, and

as big as elephants!

The bee also is an animal that many

people are afraid of, for its stinger.

However, the bee is a symbol of healing,

especially around the heart chakra. As the

honeycomb is the shape of a pentagon, the

shape of a heart, it is said to provide healing

around the heart chakra. It also teaches us to

extract the sweetness of life, and be happy

with whatever we sink our feet into, as bees

feel with their legs. As you might have

guessed, the bee is my spirit totem. There

was a bee hive living in the ductwork of my

sister’s room, and I was stung while in her

room, and had to go to the hospital. Luckily,

I am not allergic to bees. I was afraid of bees

at one time. Now, when I see one, I am not

and I am positive that it is a sign that some

healing is going on. It is a strange thing I

know, but when I see a bee, a smile usually

comes across my face. I conquered the fear

that I had of them, even though I was

attacked and stung by one.

So when you think about the animals

that you fear, first think about whether or

not it is an internal fear (one that you

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developed on your own), or an external fear

due to something the animal initiated (an

attack or a bite). Now look past the fear.

Look up some of the characteristics of that

particular animal. Do some of the

characteristics that the animal represents

relate to something else that you may fear in

waking life? For example, if snake is your

shadow totem, are you fearful of change or

transformation in your life? Once you

recognize the fear for what it is, it is easier

to overcome. And when it no longer

controls or paralyzes you, you are much

more able to conquer it. Once you can

conquer this fear, it can become a power in

your life!

Picture credit:

PICTURE 1:

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-

image.php?image=33659&picture=horse

PICTURE 2: (From Google Public Domain)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mmBw3uzPnJI/T

MGFYTrZZFI/AAAAAAABsgE/k2-u6y-

cnkc/s1600/animals_attacking_cars_03.jpg

Picture 3: (From Google Public Domain)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mmBw3uzPnJI/T

MGE-

fkuGvI/AAAAAAABsek/IZDA683ej9c/s16

00/animals_attacking_cars_15.jpg

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The Difference Between Soul, Ghost, and Spirit By Leon Titus

lthough the words soul, ghost and

spirit are often times used to

describe the same thing,

sometimes they are not used correctly.

Even though at times these three words

could mean the same thing, at other times

they are not always interchangeable. So

why is it incorrect when someone uses

the word spirit in place of the word ghost,

or the word soul in place of spirit? In the

paranormal world, these three words are

usually used to describe the same thing, a

ghost. However, although we may pick

one of these three words to describe a

ghost, only two actually apply. Let’s take

a look at each of these words and see the

difference in their meanings and why

they can’t always be used in place of each

other.

Soul

In the bible when it talks about us

being created in the image of God, it is not

referring to our looks; it is referring to

our soul. The soul is that part of you

created in the image of God, and is the

individual/real you. It has the power to

create and destroy, and is the spiritual

part of you that detects, receives and

transmits spiritual things. Because you

have a soul, you are like a miniature God.

Your soul is energy, power, and most of

all, complete. Because of free will, over

time your soul has become weak,

forgetful and confused about whom and

what you really are. Jesus knew the truth

about whom and what he was and

therefore chose and created correctly.

Your soul is the power that moves your

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life in a direction and creates your future.

Your mind is what dictates how and when

the creative energy is released. Your mind

is both flesh and spirit. We have a brain

that moves the body while here on earth,

yet at death it is no longer needed. Your

soul mind is eternal and never dies. We

are given the allusion of time and space in

order to experience limitations here on

earth. Jesus knew this, and therefore

bypassed the fleshly limitations and

influence; so what he chose to create

(food and healing) was instant. He of

course had the mind of Christ (all truth).

The scriptures tell us that we also have

the mind of Christ, yet because of free

will, bad choices and sin, we have

forgotten the truth about who and

what we really are. Your soul needs

to be fed the right spiritual food in

order to be healthy. However, we

can all see by the mess this world is

in, that we’ve chosen junk-food.

Ghost

The word ghost is not

nearly as hard or lengthy to

describe as the word soul. The

word ghost simply refers to

something left behind. We see

this for example, when talking

about a ghost-town. Although

there may not actually be a ghost

in an old western town, the

memories and realization of the

things that happened there

causes us to refer to it as a ghost

town. In the bible, depending on

what version you’re reading, it

sometimes refers to the Holy

Spirit as the Holy Ghost. Because

it was sent by Jesus once he got

to Heaven, the word Holy Ghost

is incorrect. The spirit was sent,

not the ghost. The word ghost is

mostly used to describe a

person’s soul that gets left behind

at the time of death; this is the correct

interpretation. However, this is one of

those times when soul and ghost could

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actually mean the same thing. When a

person’s soul gets left behind at the time

of death and remains here on earth, it

becomes a ghost.

Spirit

Out of the words Soul, Ghost and

Spirit, Spirit almost stands alone. Spirit

refers to the life of something or

someone. The Bible refers to God as a

Spirit, not a Ghost or Soul. Without spirit,

not even the soul would be alive. Spirit is

compared to electricity, it being the

power that keeps everything going. We

as humans give and create spirit. We have

created the Spirit of Christmas and the

Spirit of Thanksgiving. These spirits were

created by feelings and conjoined effort of

the multitudes all agreeing on the same

thing, therefore giving life to it. Each

individual has a Spirit about themselves.

This is also true about families, city

blocks, towns, states, and so on. The Spirit

in one country is very different than the

spirit in another country. The spirit of a

person is the combined effort of choices,

mental and physical condition of an

individual, as well as the environment in

which the person lives and was raised in.

Actually, spirit is everything that ever

touched a person’s life. Spirit is what

radiates from a person or area, and is felt

by the people in that place or around that

person. Who hasn’t walked into a building

that has a strange feeling about it? It may

not be haunted, yet from the feelings

radiated and created by others in the

past; it has a certain feel and spirit about

it. We’ve all seen and experienced the

Spirit of sadness or happiness. Spirit is in

and around everything. Nothing exists

that doesn’t have spirit. Spirit does not go

away and it is life itself.

Although there is much that could

be said and written about Soul, Ghost, and

Spirit, I’m sure you can see the

differences, yet similarities between the

three. There are times that these three

words can be used together, like the spirit

of a soul left behind as a Ghost. In order to

understand spiritual things, we must first

understand who and what we are. Not

only is it true that many Paranormal

Investigators have no clue of the

difference between Soul, Ghost, and Spirit,

but many preachers and spiritual leaders

also have a hard time distinguishing the

difference between the three.

I’m pretty sure that I have

forgotten or left out a few points that may

also shed some light on this subject, but

you’ve got enough spiritual food to chew

on for now. Knowledge is power, and all

truth is within; but we must first get past

self in order to see and hear that truth.

Learning about yourself and what gives

you life is one of the smartest things you

can do. We are spirit first. Once your old

body is gone, you will be spirit again. So

plan your spiritual future now. You don’t

want to end up as a lost soul, left behind

after death as a Ghost with a troubled

spirit. Heads up.

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BY TIM MCGOVERN

hen we sleep at night, our physical body gets rest, but something else also happens when we dream. Our subconscious mind may be sending messages to us that we should pay attention to in our waking life. Many times these dreams are

not literal, in other words they don’t mean exactly what happened in the dream will actually happen. For example, if you dream of being stabbed to death, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will happen, but there could still be an important message there for you to decode. Also, many dreams are exaggerated to catch our attention, which is usually the reason why we remember them. Colors, places, people, and things that are over exemplified all can play an important part of decoding your dreams. Each month, we will share a few actual dreams, with their interpretations, to help teach the meanings behind some of these important symbols we all might experience. Below are a few dreams from actual members of our Dream Codes group, found on Facebook. At Dream Codes, people can share their dreams and get interpretations from the various interpreters we have in our group. If you haven’t joined already, please send a request to join our group. If you are knowledgeable in interpreting or simply want to share your own personal dream, we welcome you. *(Dreams shared in Signs Magazine are with the permission of the dreamer who has shared their dream on Dream Codes) *************************************** Janis G. I had a dream the other night I was drawing a picture and the picture I was drawing was an old style bird cage, the door was open and the dove was flying away. Tim: Because this dream has to do with freedom, and letting go... it reminds me of the saying, "If you allow the bird out of the cage and they come back to you, it’s yours forever. If you open the cage and the bird flies away

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and never comes back, it was never yours to begin with." Or something to that effect... Since you were peaceful, and doves represent love, peace, and wellbeing, it sounds like you are in balance, and are getting a breath of fresh air, respecting freedom of others as well as yourself Janis: Thank you :) *************************************** Ann D. I dreamt that I was standing outside my kitchen door on our small black patio, it was summer and I spotted a swallowtail butterfly in the grass; it was black with blue and red spots at the tip of the wings lining down to the bottom. I went down the steps from the patio into the grass to pick up the butterfly. It rested in my right hand and I took it into the house, it crawled up and climbed onto my shoulder under my long hair. I showed it to my mother and went outside with it to set it free. ... Suddenly the seasons started changing rapidly fall came first, then winter. I sat the suddenly weakened butterfly on a block on our patio; ice crystals covered its body as it drew up. I felt sorrow as it slowly was dying and curling up; I felt the insect was somehow mourning as well. Snow covered the ground, the sky was grey, then the sun broke, the trees bloomed, the snow melted, the grass regained its color. After noticing this I reached down for the butterfly and the ice crystals melted and it came back to life gradually, it remained weak, but alive in the spring. In a way, it followed the changing of the seasons like that of a plant, however I felt a attachment or representation by this insect. I'd appreciate any interpretations if you have one. Tim: I see lots of symbolism of transformation. Butterfly is an animal of transformation, as it goes through the cycle of basically dying as one creature to emerge as another entirely different and beautiful... The seasons also point to that... Winter, dying, and spring, rebirth... I believe this transformation is happening within you, your subconscious, there is the black color, back door to the patio (back of mind—subconscious), through your kitchen (kitchen represents emotions) all point to a significant transformation of self and the subconscious. Leon: My thoughts are the butterfly remained the same through all the changes. It was affected by things, yet remained the same, just a little weaker. So this may reflect your faith or how you have hung in there. You may be a little weaker, but remained steadfast and did not waver. Ann: Thank you guys! ***************************************

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Sharon T I dreamed I was walking through a door way, just a plain door and on the side I was on, it was just grey and brown and there was hard pavement. I was dressed in normal today clothes: pants, polo shirt and slip on shoes; but as soon as I stepped over the into the other side my shoes where gone, I was bare foot and had an old fashion, off white, flowing gown like you see on a ghost. I stepped onto brilliant green moss ground, surrounded by trees, flowers and nature and it was like the moss came up and patted my feet and I could feel it talking to me and vibrating with life; and the flowers and the trees also reached out to touch my hands and legs like we were old friends, saying hello. As I walked through the forest to an open field of moss and like golden glittery sunshine, I see a brown owl that looked like it was perched but it was floating in the air its head facing left but eyes fixed on mine. The owl was holding an old fashion parchment that said "You are Magic" but the word magic was spelled different and then I noticed I still had the gown on but now a hooded cape too and both where moving in the slow breeze. It was a beautiful dream -- the woods kind of looked like the photo I put up on my FB and a stranger posted an owl just like the one in my dream and that was the first thing I saw this morning on FB. Tim: I think the key word here is “opportunity!” You are debating whether or not to explore the more mystical side of you, magical side of you… once you step through the door, you are barefoot, so there is still some insecurity about the situation, and there will be a change in your grounding, and foundation. The OWL is a totem of magic and seen in many magical circles as the bird of Hecate, and also the messenger bird of Apollo… The message of the owl is also about stealth and working silently towards your goals, trusting no one until the time is right; keep your ears and eyes open for the opportunity… Having a hood at the end of the dream would also point to working in stealth mode. The forest is about a time of testing and learning, but I don’t think it will be necessarily bad, you will enjoy this learning as you felt so comfortable in your dream with the elements of Earth… Also the brown color of the bird indicates grounding, and looking left, but eyes on you, you are still debating if this is the “right” thing to do… Don’t doubt yourself… explore! There is a plain side of you, but once you walk through that door, and make the decision to start exploring this side of you, I think you will be pleasantly surprised and find a whole different world... Dennis: Transformation....seeing through the vales of things...beyond the exterior presentation....seeking harmony within/without....... *************************************** Katrina R. Really strange dream last night, but I dreamed that there was an itch in my tooth, yes and itch in my tooth, weird I know, but I pulled out what I thought would be food or something, (gross, yes I know), but it was tiny bug. I put it on the floor thinking it was a microscopic bug, and when it started to move away I gasped realizing it truly was. What on earth does this mean?

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Leon: I believe that you're itching to say things about what bugs you. Holding back. Dennis: Agree...Be mindful of your words....could also relate to something that someone else has said to you that is bothering you....but, since it came out of your mouth, I would think that it pertains more to you..... Katrina: Well, I am being cautious right now choosing my words carefully, and trying to bring an end to a dead end. Dennis: Good...you are removing irritations...no need to harbor them any longer. *************************************** Emma J. I probably should of wrote this when it was fresher in my mind, but all I remember is being outside in a moody dark sky and I think I might have been standing in a field with other people when this bomb/huge explosion happened, like something hit the whole planet not just a particular area. Then I just have this feeling of big trouble... I’m not sure what I thought maybe aliens something bad. What is the translation for that? Thanks in advance x Jennifer: I do notice there's been a strong energy in the air, almost feels as if something's on the horizon. Do you have any current things going on right now? Legal matters? Family issues that you feel may be erupting soon? If nothing in your personal life than perhaps this was a premonition? Emma J: Hi Jennifer, no, not any legal matters. Hmmm, what like relationship issues? I remembered another part to the dream- after the large bang etc. i was in my house and i remember looking out the window and seeing many odd shaped crafts, i presume alien and I called out to my partner to look out the window at them. And that’s all I can remember. I know it felt scary... like I felt some urgency. Tim: When we dream of water, it represents emotion; likewise when we dream of the sky, it is indicative of logic and our thoughts... The moody dark sky is indicative of your thoughts, and it could be the explosion is a result of that type of thinking. What you focus on expands, so if you keep having dark thoughts, maybe they WILL in fact manifest into something bad... I am sensing elements of fear, not being accepted, negative thoughts in regards to others.... do not let fear control you. Focus on perfect love and perfect trust... even if it is aimed only at you. Love and trust yourself, trust your gut instinct on matters, but don't live in fear. Fear of invasion… like Jennifer said... Emma: That’s really helpful to hear thank you Tim! Tim: Anytime! :)

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Dennis: You may be feeling that things are falling apart in your world...blowing up...emotional stress....... Emma: Yeah I do. Why does the subconscious (excuse my spelling) mind not make it clearer what we are feeling etc? As it uses symbols instead? Thanks Dennis, was hoping u would answer. Cheers Dennis: We are all evolving....does not mean, necessarily, in a forward direction....the soul is already there....and time does not mater....we may be receiving guidance from other parts of ourselves, and we may have forgotten how to listen.......One may need to be startled or shaken in order to begin to get the gist ...an attention grabber.......one sees the flower blooming, but, may really be seeking the health of the root.

*************************************** Juan G Strange dream last night, I dreamt it was winter and I saw my great aunts home which is half of a double on fire yet I only saw the fire coming out of the attic Leon: I believe this represents your Aunts mind/attic/ at the present time. Being purified/reflecting and repenting. Tim: I agree with Leon, wintertime is a time of death, coldness... hence the purification and letting something die, and however, the fire could represent some fiery thoughts that are consuming her... Is your great aunt still alive? Juan: Yes she is still alive Tim: I think the main symbols in this dream are winter, your aunt’s home, attic, and the fire... Some repressed memories could be coming to the surface which are causing anger, passion, but she is trying to let them go and die and move on to new life (spring) ... but one could say that she is in the middle of some kind of transformation and experiencing the "death" stage.... not literal death, but when something dies, something else is reborn. Juan: Thank You Tim I appreciate that!

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by Tim McGovern & Leon Titus

ith hundreds of different Christian religions out there, how do I know which one is

right? I mean, I feel a need to get closer to God and start learning the truth about how I should live and what he expects from me. However, I see Baptist over here, Catholics over there, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutherans, and a plethora of religion choices. Which one is right? I’m confused and I want to know the truth.

Good luck, my friend. This is a question being asked by many people these days. Finding the truth about God has become very confusing. Man has taken his own beliefs and developed all sorts of different concepts, ideas, and religions of what God is about, what God expects, and the truth about the Bible. Although most Christian religions agree that the Bible is the inspired word of God, they simply can’t agree on what it says, therefore giving us many different beliefs and religions. The one scripture most Christians do agree on is, “God is not the author of confusion,” (1 Corinthians 14:33) so then why the confusion?

As we look at the church world, we clearly see mistakes. I’m not talking about the occasional minister that gets caught doing something he shouldn’t. I’m talking about the bad example many Christians set. Being raised in church, I had the opportunity to watch believers live their Christian lives. I also spent years singing

and preaching in different churches, which allowed me to experience different beliefs and religions. Although I have met some great believers, I also have had the opportunity to see some bad examples of what Christianity is about and what it represents. As a believer in God, it’s easy for me to understand that temptations come along and mistakes happen; but to the unbeliever, or the person that is looking for answers and truth, it can appear as though the believer is either fake or not normal.

Even worse, when a believer has

put their faith in a pastor or preacher,

thinking that he is the shepherd of the

flock (the church) and will always protect

it from harm, their faith can be destroyed

when he IS caught doing something

wrong, such as adultery. Sometimes it

isn't that serious, sometimes it is

something as simple as gossip, but when a

person feels unprotected by their

shepherd; they end up leaving the church

and blaming God. First of all, the pastor is

the messenger, and overseer of the flock,

but Jesus is the real shepherd. Our eyes

should go past the man behind the pulpit

to the higher being that truly will protect

us from harm and evil. It is most evident

in the Catholic religion that priests and

popes are put on pedestals; however,

priests, preachers, popes, pastors, etc. are

still men just like us, with faults and flaws.

W

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If people would do their homework before getting involved in a religion, confusion would be greatly reduced. However, when people are beaten down, at a low point, and needing help or answers, they may be inclined to accept or believe anything. Pretty much any pastor of any church can show you in the Bible why their church believes and teaches the things it does. If you don’t know your bible, you may be inclined to believe what’s revealed by a member or pastor. Because of the differences in, and the confusion over religion, many individuals are starting to take a different approach to truth.

Is it God's will that this happens?

No. The Bible says in Luke 4:16 says, "He

(Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had

been brought up, and on the Sabbath day

he went into the synagogue, as was his

custom." Jesus was found every Sabbath

in the synagogue meeting with other

believers and it was his "custom." He set

the example and demonstrated that

meeting with other believers and learning

from them is a great thing! Iron can

sharpeneth iron. However, the church

should not be what you call a relationship

with God. A church is a relationship with

other believers, and each person should

still have their OWN relationship with

God.

Although many churches and religions are still going strong, others have become a laughingstock, not trusted or believed, or just downright shunned because of their odd actions and ways. I won’t go into all the different Christian beliefs and why the followers do what they do, but I will say this, most Christian

religions have only been around for less than 300 years and are split-offs from other beliefs, namely the Catholic religion. In my opinion, ANY church claiming to be the authority figure on God is a church to stay away from. Although most religions mean well, many are quick to send people to hell, putting the fear of God, instead of the love of God, into people's mind. When people have fear, they can be controlled by and won’t go against the church. It becomes about power, not love.

In the Book of Revelations, Jesus

talks about seven churches. If you pay

attention, every church in the world can

fall into one of these seven types of

churches. Here's the list:

Ephesus - The Active Church (Sound in

doctrine, but deficient in Love.)

Smyrna - The Poor but Rich Church

(Lacks material resources, but rich

spiritually)

Pergamos - The Heretical Church (False

doctrine)

Thyatira - Church of the False Prophets

(Lots of good works, but dead on the

inside)

Sardi s- The dying church (Were strong

once, but have waivered and becoming

lukewarm)

Philadelphia - The Loyal Church (The

only church encouraged to keep doing

what they are doing)

Laodicea - The lukewarm church. (Self-

satisfying, comfortable church, neither

hot nor cold)

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The problem is that EVERY church

seems to THINK that THEY are the Church

of Philadelphia, and every other church is

the church of Pergamos. Unfortunately it

seems that no church is willing to be the

church of Smyrna, and many churches

end up being the Church of Thyatira

because everyone is confused and lost on

which direction to go.

So what can a person do while searching for spiritual answers, truth, and help? The answer is simple; be wise, be careful, and don’t believe everything you hear. One of the big reasons people are starting to consider the so-called New Age approach is because it doesn’t put God into a spiritual box. In fact, the New Age movement is older than most religions. People are starting to return to their spiritual roots and put away the old, more religious self, and embracing the fact that God is much more than judgment and fear. Religions love fear because it gives them power, but once they are found out, the power goes away and the truth sets you free. This is nothing new. Churches have been troubled since the beginning. Like I said in another article, if Jesus would have preached and taught what the churches did in his day, we would still be lost. Every person's path is unique because WE are all unique.

So if you’re a person needing spiritual guidance and direction and are asking, “What church would be best to attend on a Saturday or Sunday morning?” Truthfully, there is no perfect answer to that question. It really depends on the needs and desires of the individual looking for help. Some churches are very active, while others are very laidback. Some revolve around music, and some

have no music at all. Other churches are made up of mostly elderly people, while others are full of youth programs. Churches are only meant to be a foundation in which to build your Christian life; they are not supposed to be your whole life. The plan should be to go to church in order to learn some history about the Bible, to be comforted and to comfort other believers, but most of all, to improve your life by being introduced to possible truths. Improving lives should be the focus of any church, not controlling lives. Many people laugh at or condemn Christianity just because there are problems with religions. The problems arise when people simply believe what they’re told about God and Christ instead of checking things out for themselves first, this causes the confusion and tainted religions.

If you have been disillusioned with church and have given up on church, also keep in mind that the problem may not be "church in general" but rather the types of churches that you have attended. That is why all of these points are so important to consider in this article. I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to the confused church. Church CAN be wonderful. I’ve been a part of some churches that really cared about me and did whatever they could to improve my life. If you choose to be part of any religion or church, be careful and wise. Remember, you see what you see. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. When in doubt, don’t. It all depends on your needs and wants. Needs and wants are two different things. Soul searching is needed now. It’s time to figure things out. IS CHURCH FOR YOU?

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The Number 23 Enigma By Tim McGovern

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7659011032_1718dfa512_z.jpg

here are many times throughout life that something stands out to us more than others. It is at these

times we sometimes may shrug it off and think of it simply as a coincidence or ironic. Then there are those times when

we tell ourselves it is definitely a sign from the universe. Something about what we saw is just too strange to ignore. Some people will go to the extreme and think that everything is a sign! Is it

T

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actually a sign? Or is it selective perception?

Many have seen the movie "The Number 23" with Jim Carey, which is a fictional story of one man obsessed with the number 23 and how it correlates to his life. He experienced the 23 Enigma. While it is not a true story, at one time this enigma was actually studied to be true by many, and there is still much information about the subject on the internet. The theory itself is that everything reduces down to the number 23. Why is that important? The number 23 Enigma is a corollary law of the Law of Fives (since 2+3=5) and states that all things happen in fives. In the Bible, the number 23 is referred to as the number of death. Psalm 23 is the psalm that is most read at funerals than any other psalm in the Bible. Here are some other things you may find on the internet about this number:

2/3= .666

The perfect terrorist plan (which ended up being exactly as what happened 09/11/2001) was created in 1976 (again 1+9+7+6=23)

WTC (The World Trade Center): W=23rd letter of the alphabet, T=20th letter of the alphabet, C=3rd letter of the alphabet, therefore- W=23, and T+C=23. 9/11/2001= 9+11+2+0+0+1=23.

Julius Cesar was stabbed 23 times

There are 23 letters in the Latin alphabet.

Titanic sunk on 04/15/1912

There are 23 characters on each American Coin.

On a keyboard, the letter W is the 23rd letter and above it are the numbers 2 and 3.

The average lifespan of a human being on the planet Earth is 63 years, roughly 23,000 days Oklahoma City bombing, Battle of Lexington and the Waco incident were all on April 19th (4+19=23)

Hiroshima bomb was dropped on Japan at 8:15. (8+15=23)

The human biorhythm is generally 23 days.

Each parent passes on 23 chromosomes to its child.

The Earth's axis is approximately 23 degrees.

U2, U is the 21st letter in the alphabet. 21+2=23

The Mayans said the end of the world would be 2012 (20+1+2=23)

Hitler killed himself April of 1945 (4+1+9+4+5=23)

Germans declared war on December 11th, (12+11=23)

And the list goes on...

Now to the common eye, and seeing that there is found the number 23 in all of these, it is easy to say YES there is a correlation. What studies have concluded is that the Number 23 Enigma is an apophenia, selection bias, and confirmation bias. Apophenia is the ability to see patterns and connections of

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things that are meaningful in otherwise meaningless information. I myself am able to see patterns that most people cannot see or understand. So I do know this exists; it is very real for me. Let me be clear that I do not believe that everything reduces down to the number 23, and being able to see patterns very easily in my life, I see many inconsistencies with the information above, which I will explain in further detail. Today, it has been concluded that the number 23 Enigma is in fact what is called "Selective Perception." Many people know what selective hearing is (only hearing what you want), well, selective perception works the same way but is a little bit more in depth. The reason being is because people's perception of things is usually their truth. It doesn't mean that it is actually true, but for them it is. Perception is reality for most.

I do not believe in coincidences. I believe that there are reasons for everything in our lives, but our conscious mind is unable to process the meaning for everything that comes our way, so it does discard much information. Sometimes a message is so strong that even if our conscious mind discards it, our subconscious mind does not. This is when we will usually have a dream about a particular situation that our mind is trying to tell us to pay attention to or remember. Dreams are when our subconscious mind tries to talk to our conscious mind. Dreams can sometimes be over exaggerated, usually to get our attention so we will remember it. Also dreams are many times metaphoric, not literal, so all these things can affect how we understand the message. Signs are

real. They are around us all the time. However what determines if it is a Sign, or maybe just Selective Perception?

Let me go back just a bit and return to the Number 23 Enigma. As I mentioned, scientists have now ruled this particular enigma as selective perception, also known as selection bias, or confirmation bias. What those terms mean is that basically we can create our own truths if we look for them hard enough. The power of the mind to create a truth as one perceives it to be truth is very powerful. The Illuminati’s have become very clever to demonstrate how numerological truths can be found if anyone is clever enough. Let's take the examples above of all the numbers and dates that are mentioned. To the regular observer, it may seem to be true beyond a shadow of a doubt. It's clearly there, right? To the keen observer, it is found that there is a different rule applied for almost every example that is shown to "fit" it into the number 23. In some cases, the day, month, and year are added together... in other cases, just the month and year, in another case just the month and day, in a couple cases the month and day as a two digit number, and others the month and day broken up into single digits. In numerology, the law is that each number is broken down into one single digit. For example, 09/11/2001 should be 9+1+1+2+0+0+1= which equals 14. It is a 5 number, because 1+4=5, but it is not 23 unless you add the 11 up with all the numbers. This is a perfect example of selective perception. You are being selective with what you see, instead of looking at it from a logical and rational viewpoint.

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So how do you know if something that you see is really a sign from above, or selective perception? Many people ask for a sign from above to get the answers to our problems. The Bible says that we should not do this. We should not tempt the Lord, our God, for He has nothing to prove to us (Deuteronomy 6:16 and Luke 4:16). The truth is there are signs all around us all the time, every day. What we should pray for is for God open our minds and hearts to be able to receive the messages that may be waiting for us to know. We all have a free will and can learn to shut these messages out. This can be particularly true if, like many, you were taught not to pay attention to your dreams, ghosts don't exist, it was just a coincidence, and many other "logical" ways of thinking that our parents, and society has taught us growing up. To receive the messages that the universe has for us, WE have to open our hearts once again and be ready to receive them. Another verse in the Bible tells us to "test and try the spirits."(1 John 4:1) Here we have an obligation to test and try OTHER spirits... NOT God, but other spirits, to know which ones are good and which ones are bad. We should not believe EVERY spirit, as the verse teaches.

In conclusion, the only real way to know if something is a sign or not, is this: there is no way. Only you can truly know by trusting your inner gut instinct if you are being directed by the universe, or if you are being directed by your own ego to WANT to create a truth in your head. You

must test and try things, spirits, and truths. Lies on the surface seem just as real as truths, but only truth can stand up to the tests and still stand. I sometimes see things that stand out to me, and I may say to myself, hmmm, that is interesting.

However, I also don't go through life

thinking that EVERYTHING that comes my

way is a SIGN. Signs are gifts from the

universe that should not be taken lightly.

Now if that particular sign repeats itself

again, or maybe even a third time, then I

will definitely look into it and see what kind

of message the universe may have for me.

You have to develop a somewhat skeptical

view of many things so that you can learn to

discern the truth from the lies out there.

Before you conclude that something is in

fact a sign, ask yourself, "Am I having

selective perception? Or is this truly a

sign?" The answer lies within. Trust your

inner gut instinct.

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http://www.facebook.com/AscendingAgeOfSoaringWolf

33

My friends dream

A friend of mine had a dream. In his dream he saw

Jesus. Beside Jesus was a long gold cord that went on

until it could no longer be seen. About every two feet

there was a white box built around the gold cord. These

also went on until they were out of sight. My friend

asked Jesus what this meant. Jesus said, “The gold cord is

the cord of truth which goes on for eternity, and the

white boxes are those religions and beliefs man has built

around the truth. Although they are all separate, they are

still connected and they all have the cord of truth in

them.

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hether you’re using a Ouija

board, going to an all-night

ghost hunt, or even visiting a

psychic medium, you’d better be careful

when talking to, or interacting with spirits.

Even trying to cast out bad spirits in Jesus'

name could end up being dangerous. When

it comes to interacting with those

individuals that have passed on, or

communicating with the spirit world,

wisdom and caution are very much

recommended.

In the classic movie Beetlejuice,

starring Michael Keaton, the summoned

spirit caused nothing but confusion, and

wreaked havoc on everything and everyone

he came in contact with. Although the

movie may have been funny and

entertaining, any ghost hunter that’s been

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followed home by a spirit after an

investigation will tell you that there’s

nothing funny about it at all.

We may encounter good, bad, very

nice, or very mean people in our daily life,

and it’s also like that in the spirit world.

Even when someone is carried off to

heaven after death, that doesn’t make

them instantly nice or enlightened, but at

least they have someone on the other side

helping them to adjust. However, if

someone misses the boat and stays around

for a while as a ghost, they may become as

frustrated, confused, and malevolent as

Beetlejuice. Imagine how a ghost might

feel, trying to get people’s attention day

after day, and year after year, yet no one

even knows they’re around. Even worse, if

the person that’s left behind was a mean,

pushy, or borderline evil person when they

were alive, we may end up with a real

Beetlejuice after they have passed on.

Although there is a big difference

between being wrong, bad, or evil, a

confused, angry spirit can cause big

problems. So what can an ordinary spirit do

to mess with your life and affect your

surroundings? Well, because they are more

or less invisible, most of the time you will

simply have no idea they’re even around.

You may feel their energy but will be unable

see them. Being a spirit, they can affect our

own spirit with feelings of anger,

depression, sadness, or pretty much any

emotion we are able to feel. Of course we

are talking about a small number of spirits

in comparison to how many souls may be

floating around. Yet, it only takes one

unsettled soul to interfere with your life

and make you miserable.

By saying the word Beetlejuice three

times in a row, the unsettled soul would

appear ready and willing to help the living;

problem was, he had a personality, an

attitude, and wanted to do things his way.

By being in-tune and studying a vast array

of spiritual things for most of my life, not

only do ghosts love attention, but

sometimes even those who have gone on to

the light, still seek to influence the living.

The veil between the living and the dead is

much thinner than most people are willing

to believe. Your uncle who is now in

Heaven, or has gone to the light, may have

loved you very much while he was alive, but

if he was a pushy or opinionated person

while he was alive, chances are he will still

have those aspects of his personality.

Having some of those traits on the other

side may lead to tough feelings that could

be empathically felt if he tries to influence

you now that he has passed over. Often

times, our dead relatives or friends are

given the job as helpers to us from the

other side after their death; and so you may

feel their presence and influence. This

means that your uncle may try to push you

in the direction he believes is best for you,

rather than the direction that may be in

your best interest. The idea of this, is to

teach both of you about love, truth, and

emotions; eventually you will both benefit

from this connection. Perhaps your uncle

needs to stop being so pushy and

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opinionated, and by observing your attitude

and personality, you may help him. It could

be that you’re too passive or quiet and

need to be a little more assertive, so his

spiritual input may give you that boost you

need to be stronger. There may be lessons

to be learned by both of you.

Most people are oblivious to the fact

that we have spiritual influences coming to

us from all sorts of directions. We have

Angels, Demons, Ghost, Spirit Guides, and

all sorts of human energy affecting us all

the time, along with other possible spiritual

influence that would take a whole other

article to explain. Just because you may feel

a bad or strange feeling in a location, that

doesn’t necessarily mean it’s haunted.

Likewise, a place with good energy can

suddenly feel weird if a ghost shows up.

So how can we avoid, or protect

ourselves, from possible negative spiritual

contact and interference? The answer is,

study and be in-tune. Read up on spiritual

things, not just religious material. Reading

about life after death, ghost, religions,

dreams, and the supernatural, is very

helpful when it comes to understanding and

comprehending what lost spirits are

capable of. Also, any paranormal

investigator will tell you that the best tool

they have for detecting the presence of

spirits, is their own body. When a person is

in-tune plus educated about spiritual things,

you will not only feel an entity's presence,

but you may also be able to pin-point what

kind of energy it is and how to keep it at

bay. Who hasn’t walked into a building and

felt strange or odd feelings? It could be a

spirit left behind, or left over energy from

something not so good that happened in

the past. So your own body is your best

detector.

In my opinion, other than our Spirit

Guides, Angels and heavenly forces, I

wouldn’t call out or summon any spirit,

especially if you don’t know what you’re

doing. Ghosts are ghosts because they

missed something, not because they went

the right direction. So obviously you don’t

need their input. Although you may mean

well by trying to help them, be careful that

they don’t latch on to you and cause you

problems. With all the new technology in

the paranormal field, lost souls are being

found. Yet it appears once again that

technology has surpassed spirituality. Now

we can detect the spirit world, but we fall

short when it comes to interacting with the

other side.

So the moral of the story is, before

you go messing around with the spirit

world, get in-tune and educate yourself

about spiritual things; or you may unleash a

real Beetlejuice that will mess with you the

rest of your life!

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http://www.amazon.com/Katrina-Rose/e/B007WT1J5M

onnects is not your everyday

spooky story. Yes, there is an element of scary to this seedy

story based on a true haunting

and possession with nuggets of fiction, to keep you the reader

guessing what's real and what is not. Connects is also the spiritual journey of a woman who connects

to the afterlife, sees into the future and the past, has the

ability to Astral project and

maneuver within her lucid dreams. This is her story she discovered after moving into what

she thought was her dream home, except it turned out to be more

than her dream home, it turned out to be the burial grounds for many souls, and because of her

intuition she is able to pick up on these souls and help to solve their

C

38

murders, or at least, how she believes they have been murdered

based on the connections to these souls, dreams, and what others

are saying about the lost and forgotten.

Twenty-one is a common and unique thread throughout

this ghostly tale. And there is a reason why the author has chosen

21 chapters to represent what really happened to the ghosts lost and forgotten. You'll need to read

why this is a connection between Abigail the main character and

the spirits she feels connected to. You see, this book has scary elements, but it's much more

personal than the hair on your arms standing straight up. It is the authors hope that you

connect with life through death. It is her wish for you to connect

with not only your inner child, but also with the souls in limbo crying out to be heard.

What would you do if

you bought a house built on historical land with a seedy past

starting with a drug dealer selling to cops shortly after his wife is found dead on the

railroad tracks, and the suspicious overdose on his

driveway? Except no one told you about what went down on your property nineteen years ago

including the Realtor, and being the outsider moving into this rural town you didn't think that

maybe they were covering up the sins of the past. I believe most

people would probably put up a for-sale sign, or consider

suing. Maybe this is exactly what I should have thought about

doing, but instead I decided to write about the dreams I started having about the spirits who had

been wronged. With each new dream the spirits trapped within the walls of my country

house left clues why they are here. For some reason there are

many spirits, and some people think I'm making it up as I go when it twists and turns, almost

unbelievably. Sometimes the most unbelievable should be believed,

especially when the ghost-murder story begins to stack up from newspaper articles, and

what town folk are recalling after nineteen years of silence. Instead of being afraid

or threatened I let my guard down allowing one of them to

possess me, until I discovered which one is inside of me. My name is Abigail Morrison and my

story is fiction which means that I've changed the names, places, and dates, but I believe my

ghosts to be real when I moved into my dream home, but some

might say I have substance issues just like my ghosts, and I'm only being delusional. I guess,

you'll need to read to find out what you think about what I

believed happened to me the spring-summer of 2002.

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