parannormal phenomena

The Ghost from Upstairs

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 4 Comments

Thanks to Laura from Upstate New York for sharing this story with me!

When Laura was ten years old, her parents moved into a three-family house in Upstate New York.  It had originally been a large Victorian house, but the owner had broken it up into separate apartments, so that she could rent them out.  The top floor was empty at the time that Laura’s family moved in.  It was a studio apartment meant for either a single person or a couple with no kids, so Laura’s parents chose the larger, two-bedroom on the first floor.  The landlord lived in the basement.

The living room was located toward the front of the house and the kitchen had a backdoor that the family could use to go down into the garden.  While the house looked pretty, with its tall, elegant windows and high ceilings, the floors were uneven and the narrow hallways shot off at weird angles.  The strangest part of the house was the hallway closet.  Laura discovered it on moving day.  While her parents were busy carrying boxes into the house, Laura ran about exploring everything.  Inside of the closet was an old wooden staircase that ended one flight up at a blackened wall.  Despite the light from the hanging bulb, the stairwell remained cast in shadow.

“What’s behind this wall?” Laura asked her mother.

“Back when the house was unified, those stairs led up to the third floor.  They built a wall across it when it was renovated.  I don’t want you climbing up there.  The stairs are original to the house and they look rickety.  You could fall through and hurt yourself.”

By early fall, the airy house turned bitter cold.  No matter how much heat the landlord sent up, it was never enough.  They didn’t want to complain, so they insulated the windows, used space heaters, and kept the curtains closed all day.  Even with all the lights on, the house was much darker than it had been in the summer.

Laura liked to sit at the kitchen table to do her homework.  One afternoon while her mother was napping, she was reading a book when she became aware of someone watching her.  She looked up expecting to see her mother, but didn’t see anyone.  She went back to her book, only to see a shadow go by out of the corner of her eye.  This happened a few times until Laura decided to go check the hallway.

“Hello?  Mom?” she called out.

Laura stood in the darkened hallway waiting for an answer.  She was thinking of going to check on her mother when she heard light footsteps scamper across the floor.  They were moving away from her, but she hadn’t seen anybody standing there.  Suddenly freezing, Laura rubbed her arms.  She went back into the kitchen, pulled on a sweater, and dragged a space heater up to her chair, so that she could finish her homework.  After that incident, she always did her work in the chair nearest to the wall facing away from the hallway.

Another time, Laura woke up in the middle of the night to see a ball of light moving about her room.  It appeared to be about the size of a soft ball, was solid-looking, and had a golden color.  Laura sat up in bed wondering if she should call for her parents.  She didn’t feel threatened by whatever this thing was, although she knew this wasn’t normal.  The ball of light lasted for about a minute before fading away.

Since moving into the house, Laura had often had trouble sleeping.  Sometimes she even had strange dreams.  One night, Laura dreamt that a little, blonde-haired girl wearing a blue dress with long, puffy sleeves came into her room.  She began playing with Laura’s toy tea set.

Laura watched her for a few seconds before clearing her throat.  “Hello.  Who are you?” she asked.

The little girl put down the teapot she was holding, turned to Laura, and dipped into a little curtsy.  “My name is Emily.  I’m looking for my mother.  Have you seen her?” 

“I’m sorry,” said Laura.  “No.  I don’t think she’s here.”

The little girl giggled.  “Of course, she is!  She never leaves the house except to go into the garden.  Perhaps, she is there now.” 

The little girl ran out of the room so fast that Laura didn’t even have a chance to respond.  Laura opened her eyes to find herself sitting up in bed.  She could hear little footsteps moving along the hallway and a faint voice calling, “Mama!  Where are you?”  After a few seconds, the sound faded away and the house was silent once more.  Hoping she had imagined everything, Laura turned over and went back to sleep.  By morning, she had written it off as a dream.

When she got home after school, Laura was surprised to find her bedroom door closed.  She was pretty sure that she had left it open that morning.  Opening it, she quickly walked across the room toward her tea set.  A gift from her grandmother, it was porcelain with a pattern of pink roses sprayed across it.  Laura hadn’t played with in it years, but since it was pretty, she liked to keep it set up on her old doll table.  She always left the teapot in the center of a circle of four teacups and saucers.  The tea set was still there, but all the cups had been turned upside down.

From then on, Laura often came in to find her toys moved around.  This didn’t bother her.  Even if she was a ghost, Emily was younger than Laura.  If Emily wanted to play with Laura’s toys when she was at school, she didn’t mind.

After a year, Laura’s family decided not to stay there.  On top of the poor heating, they had started having trouble with the plumbing.  Laura’s father had found a new job and her mother had gotten a raise, so they were able to purchase a nice house in the area.  The moving van was waiting with the furniture and they had already packed their suitcases into the car.  The three of them were doing a last sweep to make sure that they hadn’t missed anything, when suddenly they heard footsteps moving across overhead.

“Did you hear that?” asked Laura’s mother.

Laura’s father looked at the ceiling.  “Yeah, it almost sounded like someone walking around up there, but that’s silly.  The top floor is empty.  I’ll let the landlord know.  Maybe some raccoons got in there or something.”

“I don’t think so,” said Laura.

She had tried to tell her parents that the house was haunted before, but they always rationalized everything away.  Laura couldn’t help but gaze up at the third-floor windows as her family descended the stairs for the last time.  For just a moment, she thought she saw Emily and a woman in an old-fashioned dress staring back at her.  Laura raised her hand in parting.  The little girl and her mother waved back, then they disappeared.

 Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

I have launched a new ghost story magazine via Patreon called The Spirit Hour.  I’ll be uploading a new ghost story or the next part of a continuing story every week.  For only one dollar a month, you get complete access to all the stories that I post on Patreon. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Are you one of the following: A paranormal writer, artist, or investigator?

Or

Do you have a paranormal-themed business or Facebook group?

Then check out my new paranormal advertising group, The Paranormal Hotspot: The Market for All Things Paranormal. There is no set promotion day, so you can promote your business, art, or group every day for free. You can also post links to sites where you sell your products or services. Our mission is to help paranormal businesses, artists, writers, and investigators connect with fans and consumers!

Get Your Ghost On!

Check out our CafePress store featuring The Ghost Post’s official mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Logo, White T-Shirt, Copyright 2017
Spook Logo, White T-Shirt, Copyright 2017

 

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Portal to The Spirit World

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 2 Comments

I often receive spirit visitations in dreams.  My spirit dreams have a subtle difference from my regular dreams.  It’s hard to explain, but I feel as if my conscious mind is fully awake when I have these spirit dreams.  I have had full conversations with spirits who visit me while asleep.  Sometimes I remember everything and can record it in my dream journal when I wake up.  Other times, I can only recall how the spirit looked, what they sounded like, and how I felt being around them.  While I can never be sure if these dreams are true, I do know that the spirits who appear in my dreams seem as real as when I have had waking encounters with spirits.

In a recent dream, my husband woke me up and said that someone wanted to speak with me.  I looked and saw this young-looking, female spirit standing in my bedroom.  A white light was emanating from her, which helped ease my worries.  Her brown hair was tied up in a bun and she was wearing a long, white dress with a high collar.  She reminded me of someone from the Victorian era.  For some reason, I recognized her vibration which made me think that I either must have dreamt of her before or have felt her presence around my house.  Sometimes I will feel a spirit hanging around my home for a few days before they manage to make contact with me in a dream.

The spirit beckoned me to follow her, indicating that she needed something from the “other room.”  I wondered what room she was talking about.  Peeking around the corner, I saw that she was headed in the direction of my bathroom.

Upon entering what was supposed to be my bathroom, I found myself standing in a large room with white walls and grey, wooden floorboards.  There were boxes stacked everywhere.  It reminded me of a large attic that one might find at the top of an old house.  The lady walked over to a couple of boxes and told me that she needed them to be “lifted.”  My guess was that whatever she wanted was underneath the boxes.  I tried to move the boxes myself, but they were too heavy.  Calling out to my husband for help, he walked into the room and moved aside the boxes for us.

One of the floorboards was loose and rotted.  I bent down to see if it could be removed.  The ghost got very excited.  There was a small package hidden inside a space in the floor.  I kneeled down and pulled it up, passing it to her.

The second I did that, my husband and I were back in our bedroom, but the ghost of the young woman was still with us.  I wasn’t sure what else she wanted.  She kept walking about our bedroom, as if she was waiting for something.  Watching her as she moved about, I felt compelled to say that I knew her because I had seen her in our room before.

The woman turned and smiled.  “Now that you have acknowledged that you have seen me, I feel better and can go in peace.”

As she said this, all the light drained from her at once.  It was like watching a flower close its petals.  One second she was there glowing brightly, and the next, her manifestation had pulled itself into a ball before fading away.

The dream did not end here.  I was concerned with how quickly the woman had disappeared, so I called out to her, “Are you sure that you’re okay, now?”  There was no answer, so I knew that she had gone.  Now, came the weirdest part of my dream.

For some reason, I walked over to my closet door and slid it open.  Instead of clothes, the inside was filled with a rosy light.  When my eyes adjusted, I saw that I was looking into a hallway with golden walls and a ruby-red carpet.  Music and conversation filtered in from a party that was taking place somewhere nearby.  I stood there on the edge of this other world wondering what to do, when a young male spirit wearing a tuxedo appeared.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m looking for the young woman who was just in my room.  I want to make sure that she’s really okay.”

He nodded.  “She’s fine.  She’s at the party now.”  The way he said this, I got the feeling that the party was intended for her and that made me feel better about the situation.  Still, I was curious about this portal that had seemingly opened up in my room.

“You know this is my bedroom closet, right?” I asked the young gentleman.

He nodded again.  “Yes, but sometimes it acts as a portal between the worlds.  Here, come and see for yourself.”  The young man let me step inside.

I stood between the door frame in a T-formation with one foot on either side of the door.  I waved one arm inside the door.  “So, this is the Spirit World.”  I waved my other arm outside my door.  “And this is the Living World.”

“Yes,” he answered.

Satisfied, I stepped back onto my side.  Just then another male spirit came down the hallway, carrying something in his hands.  “Here,” he said.  “The young lady inside said that she wanted you to have this.”

I thanked him, took the parcel, stepped back, and watched the portal close.  I looked down and saw that the woman had given me a book.  It had a golden-yellow cover and appeared to be about “transportation” of some kind.  I put the book on my bedside table, meaning to read it later and got back into bed.  Yes, it was one of those strange dreams where I wake up in the dream, but am not actually awake.

When I finally woke up the next morning, a few things occurred to me.  I really believe that the woman was from the Victorian era.  Not only because of her clothing, but because books were expensive and hard to come by back then, so receiving one as a gift was a special treat.  Also, I personally love books and am happy that the spirits know that I’m a big reader with a large collection.

Furthermore, I had suspected for some time that my closet was a portal.  In fact, the day before that dream, I had placed a goblet of water on my dresser which is not far from the closet.  I light candles to my ancestors and spirit guides on my dresser and always put up a fresh glass of water for them.  This sends “Love and Light” to them to help them on their spiritual missions in the afterlife.  At any rate, this spirit visitation leads me to believe that C.S. Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, got it right.  Portals to other worlds really do exist and you never know when you might find one.

What do you think? Do you believe that portals to the spirit world or other dimensions exist? Let me know in the comments section below!

To read another story about spirits hanging around my closet, check out: My Cat Sees Orbs.

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

I have launched a new ghost story magazine via Patreon called The Spirit Hour.  I’ll be uploading a new ghost story or the next part of a continuing story every week.  For only one dollar a month, you get complete access to all the stories that I post on Patreon. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Are you one of the following: A paranormal writer, artist, or investigator?

Or

Do you have a paranormal-themed business or Facebook group?

Then check out my new paranormal advertising group, The Paranormal Hotspot: The Market for All Things Paranormal. There is no set promotion day, so you can promote your business, art, or group every day for free. You can also post links to sites where you sell your products or services. Our mission is to help paranormal businesses, artists, writers, and investigators connect with fans and consumers!

Get Your Ghost On!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a CafePress store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

The White Light

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 2 Comments

Thanks to Camille from Chattanooga, TN for this story!

Camille was staying with her daughter in Richmond, Virginia a couple of years ago, when she had an experience that she couldn’t explain.  She was going through a tough time in her life.  She had been suffering great pain for a while and had had to have back surgery.  During her recovery time, she developed a keen interest in the paranormal.  She started reading books on ghosts, angels, and archangels.

One night, she woke up to use the bathroom.  As Camille sat up in bed, three flashes of pure white light lit up her room.  They happened one after the other and reminded her of camera flashes.

“What was that?” Camille wondered.  This had never happened to her before.  Rubbing her eyes, she got up and went to the restroom.  “It’s probably nothing,” she thought to herself.  “Maybe I’m just sleepy and my eyes needed a moment to adjust.”

Camille reentered her bedroom, only to see another bright white flash of light.  At this point, Camille figured that it wasn’t her eyes playing tricks on her.  She didn’t feel ill or scared at the sight of these lights.  Instead, they infused her being with a sense of peace and tranquility.  She went back to bed and slept well for the rest of the night.

When she woke up the next day, Camille decided to do some research on the source of the bright lights.  She couldn’t find any information indicating that there was something wrong with her eyes.  She didn’t have a history of migraines or other neurological issues.  There hadn’t been a lightning storm going on.  Her bedroom was on the second floor and the blinds had been closed, so it couldn’t have been coming from outside either.

She did, however, find articles and personal accounts of mysterious experiences with flashing lights.  Many people believed that the appearance of bright lights without a medical cause indicated the presence of angels or other beings of higher energies.  Remembering the calming feeling that had come over her at the sight of the lights, Camille felt that this was true.  She had been undergoing an extremely stressful and emotional period in her life, but now she had hope that things were going to start to get better.  Since this event, she has found peace in her heart and soul.  She believes in the Divine and hopes to have another experience like this again someday.

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

I have launched a new ghost story magazine via Patreon called The Spirit Hour.  I’ll be uploading a new ghost story or the next part of a continuing story every week.  For only one dollar a month, you get complete access to all the stories that I post on Patreon. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Get Your Ghost On!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a CaféPress store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

The Hidden Entity, Part 2

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 4 Comments

Thanks to Gafyn from Swansea, Wales for this story!  You can also read Gafyn’s other stories: Adventures with Ghosts, Haunted Roads in South Wales, and The Hidden Entity Part 1.

Thinking that the incident with whatever negative energy that was in the house was over, Gafyn and Angela brought the kids back home.  A few days later, the youngest child was doing a craft while watching T.V. when suddenly the sellotape went missing.  The family searched all over the living room, only for the tape to mysteriously turn up in the refrigerator hours later.

As if this wasn’t weird enough, other more disconcerting things started to occur.  Money went missing and items were constantly found broken or knocked to the floor.  When the family started arguing over these events, Gafyn responded that “It” wanted them to turn against each other.  A small ornament whizzed through the air missing his head by a millimeter.

Rattled, they called their friends again.  They decided to do an investigation and a house cleansing to get whatever this was out of the house.  Doors were constantly opening on their own.  Something was banging around in the attic.  It was done playing its cruel game of hide and seek.  This thing wanted them to know it was there and that it wasn’t leaving.

The investigation took place while the kids were in school.  Gafyn and his friends went into the back room.  Gafyn’s friend, Colin, began by saying, “Whatever you are, you will eventually have to leave.”  Right after he said this, some invisible force picked him up and threw him aside.  Even though they were terrified, the group knew that they still had to confront this negative force.  Whatever it was, left the bedroom and proceeded to follow them about the house.  The extreme rage and negativity emanating from this being only subsided enough to give it a chance to replenish its energy.

It was clear that they weren’t going to be able to stay there, so Angela started packing while Gafyn and their friends continued the investigation.  The phone rang.  When Angela went to answer it, there was a high-pitched ringing so that neither her or the caller could hear each other.  It turned out that it was her mother calling to tell them to leave the house and to come and stay with her until they could find another place to live.

Suddenly, Gafyn felt like he was about to have a headache.  He remembered being held up by his friends, his partner crying and shouting, “Leave him alone!” but she wasn’t actually yelling at him.  Afterward, he was told that he started growling at Angela and his friends to “Get out.”

The next thing Gafyn knew, they were at Angela’s mother’s house.  He didn’t remember what had happened after his head had started to hurt and his friends had grabbed him by the arms.  They decided to move out of that house as fast as possible.  The children never went back.  They stayed with Angela’s mom while Gafyn, Angela, and their friends got the rest of their belongings.  Even then, the entity kept up its presence, half opening and closing the doors to make sure they knew that it didn’t want them there.  Gafyn said his view of the paranormal changed drastically after this experience.

Dear Readers,

The Ghost Post will be taking a break next week for the July 4th weekend. However, there will be a ghost story on The Spirit Hour on Friday, July 7th. The Ghost Post will resume posting on Monday, July 10th!

I wish everyone a safe and happy July 4th!

Best,

Tara Theresa Hill

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

I have launched a new ghost story magazine via Patreon called The Spirit Hour.  I’ll be uploading a new ghost story or the next part of a continuing story every week.  For only one dollar a month, you get complete access to all the stories that I post on Patreon. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s new YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Get Your Ghost On!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a Café Press store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

 

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

 

The Hidden Entity, Part 1

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 1 Comment

Thanks to Gafyn from Swansea, Wales for this story!  You can also read Gafyn’s other stories, Adventures with Ghosts and Haunted Roads in South Wales. 

Gafyn is an experienced Medium.  At the time this story took place, he had been working in the paranormal field for many years.  The trouble started when Gafyn and his partner, Angela, rented this big, beautiful house.  It was everything that they had ever wanted.  Gafyn was most interested in the garden and the garage, so he didn’t spend much time in the house before deciding to rent it.  Later, when they were unpacking, Gafyn kept getting the feeling that he was being watched.  Gafyn dismissed this because it didn’t feel particularly menacing and he felt that he would be better able to tune into whatever it was after they were finished settling in.

Ten days passed before the presence decided to make contact.  One night, after the kids were in bed, Gafyn and Angela were sitting on the couch talking and enjoying their new home.  As they turned to kiss, one of the ornaments suddenly fell off the T.V. and broke.  Despite the event, the atmosphere in the room didn’t feel foreboding.  They cleaned up the mess and sat back down, only to hear the pictures shifting.  When they turned back around, all the pictures that lined the staircase were slanted.  These were the first signs of activity.

At around 3:20am that night, Angela woke up screaming from a horrible nightmare.  As Gafyn was trying to comfort her, he heard one of the kid’s bedroom doors close.  The door was not slammed, but it was loud enough to make him decide to go check on the kids.  He looked in on them, only to find that everyone was still sleeping.  Afterward, he went back to bed.  Both he and Angela agreed that while strange things kept happening in the house, neither of them could sense anything.

The next day, Gafyn asked his friends for advice.  They set up a meeting time for 6:30pm that night.  He and his partner made sure that the kids were out of the house for this.  As they entered the house, they were met with a blast of negative energy that made the place feel unnaturally cold.  Whatever had been hiding before was definitely making its presence known now.  Despite their best efforts to warm things up, the place remained ice cold.

As Gafyn was trying to get his thoughts together for what lay ahead, Angela pointed out the window into the garden, and said that she just saw someone in their garage.  Sure enough, their garage door was open, even though Gafyn had locked it earlier.  Leaving Angela safe in the house as a lookout, Gafyn went to go check out the situation in the garden.  As he approached, he heard what sounded like someone picking up one of his big gardening tools.  Before the person could come out, Gafyn kicked the door shut and locked them in.  The lock had not been cut or damaged at all despite someone managing to get inside the garage.  Then he told Angela to call the police.

The police arrived, only to check out the garage to find it empty.  Once back inside, the officers asked, “Who is upstairs?”  When Gafyn replied that he and his partner were the only ones that were home, the police responded that they had seen the upstairs light go on when they were in the garden, so they went to check the back bedroom.  They came back down a few minutes later, commenting on the frigid temperature in the house.  After making sure that everything was secure, the officers took their leave as Gafyn’s friends arrived.  The cops agreed that there was something off about the house and were glad that the group was going to discuss what could be done.

The friends sat down to tea and talked over what was going on in the house.  During this time, the atmosphere became pleasant again and stayed that way for the next couple of days.  One of their neighbors came over and told them about the history of the home.  The prior residents had not had any issues.  However, the man who lived there before them had ended up in a psychiatry ward after jumping out one of the back windows.

Stayed Tuned for Part 2 Next Week!

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s new YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

Get Your Ghost On!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a Café Press store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

 

 

My Cat Sees Orbs

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 1 Comment

Orbs are a controversial subject in the paranormal community.  The internet is full of people claiming to have captured an image of an orb in a picture or on video.  Opinions on evidence vary, but they generally fall into three categories: dust, bugs, or other types of light refractions.  I’m not here to make judgements on other people’s experiences or to try to debunk anything.  Everyone must come to their own conclusions about what is real or not.

I do believe that orbs are one way that spirits visibly manifest.  Perhaps this is because it takes less energy to appear as a ball of light than it does to show a fully developed human form.  I have had a few experiences with orbs, both in spirit dreams and while awake.  Many times, I have woken in the middle of the night to find orbs hovering either over or near my bed.  When I see them, they look like glowing, nearly transparent bubbles with a thicker outer ring.  I have seen them in an array of colors including red, pink, yellow, orange, gold, white, silver, and blue.  Sometimes they are even multicolored.  I always question my experiences because I feel that is it healthy to reserve a level of skepticism when facing something out of the ordinary.  However, I keep an open mind to the existence of spirits and have faith that they exist.

One time in college, I woke up to see a large, glowing silver orb floating above my bed.  It was easily bigger than a basketball and was oblong in shape.  My husband, then boyfriend, George, was asleep next to me.  I remember gazing up and feeling positive emotions coming from it, although I don’t remember hearing any specific words.  I watched as it floated over my bed and through the wall next to mine.  Then I went back to sleep.

Another time I saw an orb, I was home alone.  My husband was out running errands.  I was in the bathroom fixing my hair, when my cat, Diana, wandered in behind me.  Like many cats, she loves to follow me around the house.  She sat down on the bathmat to watch me.  As I looked over to her, I noticed her look to the side as if she saw something.  Her eyes were focused in on something, so I followed her gaze.  As I turned, I saw a little golden ball of light zip through the bathroom door.  It was stationary long enough for me to tell that it was there and then it disappeared.  Diana had followed it with her eyes the whole time.

A couple of weeks later, I was in my bedroom when I saw another orb.  It was a cloudy day, so the light in the bedroom was dim.  The blinds were drawn, so there wasn’t much light coming in from outside.  Diana was sitting by my closet, when suddenly she looked up at my ceiling in the same way that she had a few weeks earlier.  I looked up expecting to see a spider or something.  Instead, there was a little ball of light playing near my closet.  It hung around for a few seconds before disappearing.

Each time that I saw the orbs, they looked like little round balls of light, but solid, as if I could have reached out and touched them.  I am intrigued that they appeared in areas of my apartment that I feel have a lot of spirit energy.  The bathroom is a source of water, so it is not unusual to feel spirit energies in that area.  I also think that my closet serves as a type of portal, but that’s another story.

Note on the picture: Yes, those are bubbles in the photo. I used them because this picture was the closest thing that I could find to depict the concept of an orb at this time. 

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s new YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

Get Your Ghost On!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a Café Press store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

Grandma’s Visit

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ Leave a comment

Thanks to Matthew from New York for this story!

It was a hot, summer day.  Matthew worked in construction and had been at it since early that morning.  The apartment was quiet.  His mother was out shopping and visiting her friends.  She wouldn’t be home for another few hours.  After a long shower, Matthew went into his bedroom and pulled down the shades to block out the late afternoon sun.  He set up a fan by his bed to help keep him cool.  Before getting into bed, he lit a Saint Theresa candle and placed it on top of his dresser.  Matthew often lit candles and said prayers for his grandmother, Tessie.  She had died the year before after a hard battle with cancer.

Exhausted, Matthew flopped into bed and was soon in a deep sleep.  He began to dream that he was at a carnival with his girlfriend.  For some reason, they were playing a game of hide and seek in the dream.  He said that he chased her from ride to ride, always to lose sight of her the second that he was about to catch her.  At one point in the dream, he saw her disappear into a fun house, so he followed her in.  He started running down a hallway lined with mirrors when he suddenly heard someone calling his name.

“Matthew!”

He turned around to see Grandma Tessie standing in one of the mirrors.  She called out to him again.  As he walked toward her, he found himself back in his room.  Only he wasn’t awake because he could see himself lying fast asleep in his bed.  Confused, he was wondering what was happening, when his grandmother appeared once again.  This time she materialized next to him in the bedroom.

“Matthew, you’re sleeping.  Wake up!  The candle is about to burst into flames.”

This took him completely out of the dream.  He felt his body hit the bed.  Matthew sat up just in time to watch the candle’s glass break.  The candle fell over and rolled on the dresser.  In a flash, Matthew jumped out of bed and was able to snuff out the flame.  Had he not been awake at that moment, the candle would have set the dresser on fire.

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s new YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

Get Your Ghost On!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a Café Press store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

 

Invisible Forces

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 2 Comments

Thanks to Don and Sandra for this story!

Sandra is a Reiki master and Don is a Reiki practitioner, as well as a witch. They are part of a three-person group that provides healing and protection to people in need.  For the purposes of this story, the other woman in their group wished to remain anonymous.

Reiki is the practice of tapping into the infinite energy of the Universe.  Since it is an external force, healers do not have to worry about draining themselves.  Please be advised that to do this correctly, one must train under a Reiki master.

One of the most amazing things about Reiki is that with practice and proper instruction, one can perform remote healings across the world.  Don lives in the New York Metro area and Sandra is in Canada.  Using Facebook’s chat mode to communicate with one another virtually, they often work together with another witch to increase the strength of the energy during Reiki sessions.  For the healing to be effective, either the person or a close family member, such as a parent, must request it.

As Don explained it to me, “The reason for permission is so as not to affect the person’s karma.  Some people might be sick as the result of a karmic event that they are currently working through.  To heal such a person without asking would do them a disservice.  In the case of a child, the parents can make the request.”

One time, Don and Sandra received a request to help heal a six-year-old child who had been suffering from cancer.  The child had already undergone chemotherapy treatment, so there was modern medicine at work here as well.  While Reiki sessions certainly help, they should be used in addition to traditionally prescribed medicine.  After consulting with the child’s mother, the trio agreed on a time to start the healing session.

A few minutes into it, Sandra said, “There are angels here.”  In her mind’s eye, she saw two powerful angelic beings of light surrounding the child.  The angels were there to protect the young child.  They invoked such an intense feeling of deep tranquility that Sandra was moved to bow her head in grace.  During our interview, Sandra told me that “These angels were Seraphim, which are the highest-ranking angels in the Kingdom of Heaven. They are said to guard the throne of God.  This is why I felt drawn to bow.  I have never felt that much grace before from any angel and I work with them on a regular basis.”

Don became aware of them shortly after Sandra and the other anonymous member.  He said that he “…felt a sudden and dramatic increase in the ability to transmit” the flow of Reiki energy.  He has had this ability since the event.

The next day, the child had a high fever and had to go back to the hospital.  Her health has improved since and it is hoped that she will make a full recovery.  This story shows that faith can contribute to one’s well-being.  Higher forces exist and they are willing to help aid us in achieving our purpose in life.  Just because we can’t always see them, doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.

If you are interested in contacting Sandra for spiritual work, including Reiki sessions and other types of psychic readings, please check out her website at Serafina Fae.

Do You Have a Ghost Story?

Send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

Want even more Ghost Stories?

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill. 

Also, check out The Ghost Post’s new YouTube channel for audio recordings of The Ghost Post.  It’s perfect for camping out, sleepovers, or anytime you just want to hear a ghost story on the go. 

Show off your passion for ghosts with a little fashion flair!

In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a Café Press store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook.  We’ve got awesome coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Spook Giant Coffee Mug
Spook – Giant Coffee Mug – Copyright 2017

Do Not Disturb

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes my husband and I have shared paranormal experiences.  This is a story about something that happened to us when we were in college together.  To read more about Father William, please see Dorming With Ghosts: The Many Spirits of Marillac Hall. 

In keeping with last week’s post, I wanted to share another event that occurred in Marillac Hall a few months after the séance.  Sometimes Marillac could get so quiet that you would feel like someone was watching you.  Whenever I was alone studying in my room or staying up late writing a paper in the small lounge downstairs, the silence would get eerie.

Marillac is situated at the bottom of Marillac Hill.  You get a marvelous view of the Hudson River right from the front door.  Removed from the majority of campus traffic, Marillac offers a place of solitude for both students and spirits alike.  Neither the dead, nor the living appreciate noisy neighbors.  If you wouldn’t want a ghost banging doors and stomping around to all hours of the night, then be assured that the spirits would like some peace too.

My roommate and I had a large room that had originally been a lounge.  In terms of size, it was one of the biggest dorm rooms on campus.  The suites surrounding us were smaller, single rooms that were connected by a short hallway that included a private bathroom.  I had to go up an additional set of stairs to get to my room on the fourth floor.  Being it was separated from the rest of the building, it was naturally quieter up there.

While the rest of the dorms are more modern in style, Marillac Hall was designed to look like a stone mansion complete with two separate wings.  On my side, there were two main ways to get to the first floor.  The most direct route was to go down a narrow hallway that passed by a room that was used as a storage closet.  In the previous post, I told you about Father William.  He is the spirit of a priest who used to teach mathematics at the college.  He supposedly haunts this room because he lived there when he was alive.  Since the séance, we had routinely said “Hi” to Father William whenever we passed by his door.

George, who was my boyfriend at the time, lived in another dorm on campus. Since he was not a resident, I had to escort him to the bathroom and take him downstairs when he was ready to sign out.  One night, I was walking him out when we heard a lot of commotion coming from the third floor.  Someone was having a party, but the music was too loud and there was screaming and shouting going on too.  It was already midnight and quiet hours were supposed to start at 10pm.

“I wonder why the RA hasn’t said anything about the noise level,” I said.

“Well, maybe the priest’s ghost will do something about it.”  George grinned mischievously as we approached the hallway to Father William’s door.  “Go get them, Father,” he said.

“That’s not funny, George.  Stop kidding around.”

Just then we heard a loud creak.  We stood petrified as the door to the hall’s storage closet slowly swung open on its own.

“Nice going,” I said to George.  “You summoned him.”  I made George turn around and go back so that we could use the other stairwell.  After that incident, I always took the side route through the dorm’s kitchen at night to avoid going by the haunted room.

If you have a real ghost story that you would like to share with The Ghost Post, send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill.

Want to show off your passion for ghosts with a little fashion flair?  In celebration of The Ghost Post’s 1 Year Anniversary, I have launched a Café Press store featuring The Ghost Post’s official new mascot, Spook. 

The Back Room

~ Tara Theresa Hill ~ 1 Comment

When I was a little girl, Grandpa Freddie lived in the basement apartment of my Aunt Marianne’s house.  I knew that Grandpa’s wife, Tessie, had passed away three years before I was born.  Grandpa Freddie wasn’t happy talking about Grandma Tessie, so I would pester my mother for stories about her.  Mom told me that Grandma Tessie loved reading, bird-watching, singing, and helping people.  Tessie was a family nickname for Theresa.  Mom said it was too painful to name me after her mother, so she gave me “Theresa” as a middle name instead.

Grandpa Freddie watched me after school and on weekdays during summer vacation.  For some reason, I was always scared of the back room by the kitchen.  The bathroom was located at the end of the small room where they kept the washer and dryer.  It was almost always dark in the back room and I was convinced that something was waiting to grab me.  I would come out of the bathroom and rush through the archway to get back to Grandpa’s kitchen.

At some point, I concluded that if there was a ghost there, it was probably Grandma Tessie.  If that was true, then I shouldn’t be afraid of her.  She was an ancestral spirit and if anything, she would be protective of me.  I stopped running out of the bathroom area, but there was still a sad atmosphere about the place.  Sometimes I would even get the sensation of being watched.

I later learned that the watched feeling might have been an electromagnetic field caused by the washer and dryer, but somehow, I was not convinced.  Years after Grandpa Freddie died, I told my mother about the strange vibes that I would get in the back room.  Then Mom told me this story.

One day, when she was already sick with cancer, Grandpa found Grandma Tessie passed out in the bathroom.  When he tried to pick her up, he saw that she was dead and in his fright, he started shaking her and calling her name.  Miraculously, she came out of it and he took her to the hospital.  She eventually passed away some months later.

Residual hauntings occur when there is no consciousness behind the paranormal activity.  It is the remaining energy imprint from either a repetitive event or a tragedy that took place, not an individual soul that can interact with people.  I did not know that my grandmother had almost died in the bathroom by the back room and yet, I always felt odd in that area.  I think that I picked up on the intense energy that my grandfather must have left behind in that room when he found his wife dying.

What do you think?  Could this be a type of residual haunting?  Have you or someone you know ever experienced a residual haunting before?  Let me know in the comments.

If you have a real ghost story that you would like to share with The Ghost Post, send me an email to theghostpostreporter@gmail.com to set up an interview.  I’m always in the mood for a good ghost story! 

For more ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, and updates, follow Tara Theresa Hill on Facebook and on Twitter at @TaraTheresaHill.