Ahhh, Halloween. Celebrations to honor those gone before have turned into a commercial bonanza skewed toward evil and ghouls. It’s also an amazing, sure-fire opportunity to witness blazing hypocrisy. Do I sound cynical? So sorry. I don’t mean to sound so cynical. It’s probably that I’m missing my “Great Pumpkin” episode of Charlie Brown—it’s in storage in Oregon.

So, what about real ghosts?--if you believe in ghosts. Do they walk among us? Do they mean to scare us? In the past few weeks I’ve done two articles on spirits. One deals with a more positive outlook about them and their messages. The other looks at an alleged collection of darker entities. Let me first say that I do believe there is energy, probably around us, probably also just on the other side of the proverbial “veil.” My personal beliefs notwithstanding, I try to approach those who profess to communicate with spirits with a guarded skepticism and, as a reporter, I need to maintain some objectivity. I need to feel it or see it for myself.

My first article came about because of a fundraiser for the historical society and Victorian Mansion Museum. They decided to have a “psychic night and cemetery walk” on Oct. 22. I volunteered to do an article for it, and chose the subject of “Victorian Spiritualism” to give people a context for the event in this strong Christian area. I interviewed Dr. Carol Borkoski, a practicing medium, and her sister, Dolly Grady, also a sensitive. Both are involved with the Spiritualist church in Wheeling, established in 1902. Carol was radiant—red hair, all smiles, bubbly personality. While we talked, I tried to keep her to my article questions, but she did hit a couple of personal points about me that she wouldn’t have known even through inquiries to other people. I asked her about her goals in her work and if it was her experience that most spirits were good or helpful.

In a nutshell, these were some of her comments: “My goal is to help people heal, whether they’ve passed on or are here.” “Spirits want to help and uplift those seeking. However, it’s up to us [communicators] to be discerning about who we let come in. I only ask to go to the Greater Light and don’t allow any dark spirits around me. There’s enough trouble in the world without letting that in.”

The other article was about a “haunted” house. According to the owner, her family had been terrorized during the time they lived there. When they moved, tenants wouldn’t stay. She’s now sold the house and is partnering with the new owner to turn it into a paranormal investigation site and haunted bed and breakfast. There is a book and DVD about the experiences. It was a whole different feeling. The house is on a “ley line,” a legitimate convergence of energy streams. In this case, the Ohio River is literally on the other side of route 7 to the east; an Indian burial mound is at the top of the hill in back of the house; a coal portal lies beneath.  Not such a good mix, even according to a paranormal expert that I asked about ley lines and his own experiences over 27 years of investigations.

The owner and her boyfriend purchased the house after a traumatic flood left them homeless, and their relationship was tumultuous. She was trying to hold down two jobs and complete a graduate degree. Could the stress from all of this created a negative environment? Activity escalated from hearing voices and footsteps to violent acts against her. Anger and fear are powerful emotions, creating energy that could expand within the ley line scenario. Alcohol and drugs were in the mix weakening body and mind to paranoia and altered states. The main proof that reality television has given us about the spirit world is that ghost hunting is big business. Admittedly, when I entered one room in the house, my stomach went crazy, like butterflies were multiplying tenfold as I stood there, and I felt myself go “on edge,” anxious to get out of that room. I was nauseous for about an hour after I left.

These experiences reinforced things I’ve known for a long time—actually principles from the Conversation with God books: “whatever you resist persists” and “fear is the opposite of love.” Whatever you focus on magnifies whatever it is, good or bad.

I had planned to take more surreal photos at the Morristown Halloween cake walk as I did last year, but I found myself accepting an invitation from my cousins for the evening. After being inundated with “real” spirits the past month, I couldn’t face the child witches and Draculas and the whole weird creepiness of the celebration.
 

In the end, I think what Carol said makes sense: “They [spirits] want us to see the larger, brighter, bolder picture. We need to get out more and spend time in nature. The media and television are promoting negativity. The fear that is being promoted is so harmful. We need to focus on love and light.”

Links to articles:

http://www.timesleaderonline.com/page/content.detail/id/534051/Halloween-To-Do--Victorian-Spiritualism.html?nav=5008

http://www.timesleaderonline.com/page/content.detail/id/534389/Bellaire-house-site-of-paranormal-investigation.html?nav=5010

These, by the way, are photos from the historical cemetery walk from the aforementioned psychic night. It was great fun and very informative about Barnesville’s first families, thanks to historian Emery Stewart (dressed in cloak and top hat.)