I was compelled to write this after seeing an atrocious TV special on ghosts last night. It was as corny as they come, with the ‘scary’-voiced narrator reading while the scene was overacted by people wearing too much pale make-up in parody of spirits. The whole time, I could hear ‘my ghosts’ laughing themselves silly over it.

The problem lies in sensationalism. No one wants to hear about spirits who sit quietly on the couch, making the occasional joke or smart-alec remark as the ones I’m familiar with do. No, it has been decided that we want to see horror: moaning apparitions of tortured souls taking out their revenge on the world where they once had life. That is generally all we see through the media, and that’s, sadly, all some people believe. Although I watch these shows for amusement, it does frustrate me that they can’t reach beyond the stereotype. So, writing within the bounds of my experience, I attempt to set the record straight.

‘Ghosts’ as we commonly understand the word, are people who have died but have not moved on to whatever higher afterlife there may be. It’s often thought that they have unfinished business which holds them back. Some are seen as vindictive and harmful towards humans.

All of the above is true to a certain point, but only tells a fraction of the story. First, a definition is necessary to explain my perception of ghosts. (This is, of course, just my personal view.) Simply put, ghosts are the unknowing, and spirits are the knowing. By this, I mean that ghosts are often unaware of much that goes on around them and their affect on it. They may not even know that they have died, or the circumstances surrounding it. A very disturbing personal experience I had involving this was with a young man who had committed suicide. He had no comprehension that he was no longer in the physical world, or the harm that he had inadvertently caused. Ghosts like these tend to carry out the things that they were last doing before death, which can become a problem for those who are physically involved. Spirits, on the other hand, generally have a much better grasp on their situation, although what they do with that knowledge is up to them. Guardians, Guides, Beings of Light... by whatever name they go by, all of these are seen as higher spirits, who are benevolent to humans. Of course, at the other end of the spectrum are the spirits who actively seek to possess and harm people for their own gain. But, the spirit world is much like ours here; it’s populated by all types of people, good and bad.

Some people believe that spirits cannot harm them if they do not believe in them. This ‘blissful ignorance’ approach only goes so far, as I’ve seen many disbelievers just as affected by malicious spirits as those who believe in them whole-heartedly. Some people unknowingly open doors which they then find difficult to close, and such is the case with most seances and ouija board experiences - of which I am strongly opposed to. As always, I recommend that an understanding and working knowledge of some form of psychic protection is essential. Most ghosts or unwelcome spirits are easily dissuaded when it’s proven to them that their ‘meal’ is not willing to go without a fight, so to speak.

On the whole, given understanding, ghosts or spirits are not things to be feared. If you have one in the house, focus positive or light energy. If there is one following you, brush up on shielding techniques. They are akin to mosquitoes: noisy and often irritating, can cause a nasty bite if you’re not careful, some of which might develop into malaria or Ross River fever if you’re really unlucky, but can be easily avoided by taking the time to buy some insect repellent. And just remember, no use being biased, we’ll all be there one day too...