Ghosts 101: How can I tell if my house is haunted?

/Home/Ghosts and spirits

Ghosts 101: How can I tell if my house is haunted?
July 16, 2009
Pamela Grundy
Examiner.com

How can you tell if that bump in the night is a ghost or bad plumbing? How do you know if the wind whistling outside your window is trying to tell you more than a storm is on the way.

If you think your house might be haunted by you aren't certain, ask yourself the following questions:

Did you fall in love with your house at first sight? That 'click' of instant recognition you felt when you first entered your house is one of the best predictors of paranormal activity.

Have you started any renovations or redecorating projects? Paranormal activity in is often triggered by redecorating or remodeling. Demolition is especially disruptive.The theory is that the spirit (or spirits) are attached to the home and still think of it as their own, so change stirs them up.

Are you going through major changes yourself? Renovations don't just stir up ghosts, change also stirs up the living residents. When you change your house, you are also often changing yourself. Ghosts are drawn to like-energy. If their issues are like your issues, they may just drop in.

Do you have independent witnesses? Often a family starts to cooperate in building a narrative, a ghost story, without even realizing they are doing it. This doesn't mean the house isn't haunted, but it isn't as compelling as when someone who doesn't know your suspicions comes into your space and and sees or hears the very same thing.

Have rational explanations been eliminated? The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Once rickety plumbing, overactive imaginations, creaky roof tiles, and other ordinary explanations are eliminated, and still you are left with haunting as the simplest theory, it could be because your house is haunted.

Do you find loose change all over the house in odd locations? Finding change and small objects in odd locations when you are certain you never put it there or when you just checked moments before and it was not there is a very common sign of a haunting. especially when other evidence is also present.

Have you been having dreams that are different in quality than the dreams you usually have? Ghosts often try to make contact through dreams. If you feel that someone or something seems to be trying to tell you something through your dreams, it could be be that someone or something really is.

Are you regularly awakened from a deep sleep by loud knocking, or by covers being pulled from your bed when no one is there? Both events are very common haunting occurrences. Someone may be trying to get your attention.

In most cases, a haunting is a totally harmless event. People who have passed on and are lingering are usually confused or upset. Try to understand what they want, and try not to become overly obsessed with the strange phenomena.

A true haunting usually resolves itself over time. Either the ghost becomes accustomed to you and moves on, or you become accustomed to the ghost and pay less attention.

Before you know it, life will be calm and happy again. Plus, you'll have a great story!