How To Un-Haunt Your Home
Are you being haunted? Things going bump in the night? The spectral chill of the undead getting you down? Nobody deserves to be afraid in their own home, and especially not of the paranormal, so grab your salt and clutch your crucifix as we dive into part 3 of Dr Hawthorn’s Ghost Guide and figure out how to un-haunt your house.
In next week’s Ghost Guide, we’ll examine how to rule out any earthly causes that may be responsible for your ghostly phenomena, so before we begin, remember to:
- Check your carbon monoxide levels
- Rule out any new or existing illnesses as the cause for ghostly goings on
- Check for any draughts, acoustic issues or faulty wiring that may be mistaken for paranormal activity.
With that out of the way, let’s roll up our sleeves and figure out what to do about your pesky paranormal problems.
Step 1: Ignore it
Like all problems, including the strained relationship with my father, if you ignore it, it’ll probably get better on it’s own. Also, like other problems, this probably isn’t a sure fix for all of them.
Residual hauntings, which we discussed in last week’s Ghost Guide, are best dealt with in this way, as they are usually the most benign types of haunting. In cases of residual hauntings, once your own energy has absorbed into a home, it’s likely anything left behind by prior owners will fade away. So, have a party, spread the love and make the place your own.
Trying your best to brush off any type of ghostly happenings can also be enough to stop some intelligent hauntings. It’s not a case of “pretend it didn’t happen”, but by not engaging with paranormal activity, we stop feeding it energy. Eventually, it may just fade away on it’s own – or at least stop actively bothering you. It’s the same approach my parents used on me as a child, and we’re estranged now, so it obviously works!
However, should you feel the spirit in your home is malicious or causing you and your family distress, move on to step two.
Step 2: Tell The Ghost To Go Away
As simple as it may sound, telling a spirit to knock it off is one of the most effective ways to un-haunt your house. Whether they like it or not, it’s your house now, and it’s time for them to move on. This can also be an effective way to deal with a spirit that has attached itself to you or someone else, for whatever reason.
This technique is most effective if carried out by the home owner, or afflicted person themselves, as the key to it’s success is your intention and conviction. Speak firmly, but respectfully, and tell whatever it is that it’s their time to move on and that they’re no longer welcome in your home.
If the ghost refuses to leave, threaten to charge it rent.
Step 3: Cleansing Rituals
If your ghostly guests don’t respond to a polite conversation, we can step things up a notch. Essentially, a cleansing ritual is telling a spirit to go away, but with more steps. As above, cleansing rituals can be carried out on both a location and a person. I find cleansing works best when following your own beliefs systems or religion, as again, the intention is key and by ritualising the process, that intention is strengthened.
These rituals can be carried out by the homeowner or afflicted person alone, or with the involvement of a spiritual leader, depending on preference.
Examples of cleansing rituals include:
House Blessings
Blessing your home in accordance to your spiritual or cultural beliefs is always a good option, and is often the best place to start.
Cleansing with smoke
This is done by burning herbs, incense or candles with cleansing properties. You’ve probably heard of Smudging. That refers to a closed practice, incredibly sacred to many Native American Tribes, and one that has been misappropriated as of late. There are plenty of alternative ways to cleanse with smoke that does not infringe on certain cultures. For cleansing in this capacity, I suggest the use of Rosemary, Frankincense and Juniper. Focus on your intention or prayer and make sure there’s at least one window open. Also, don’t set your house on fire.
Prayer, Meditation and Visualisation
“Go towards the light” is a cliché for a reason. Prayers, visualisation and meditations imploring the lost soul to cross over and be at peace are much more anticlimactic than you see on TV, but the effects can be very real. Reaching out to a deity or higher power of your choosing can be helpful if you’re so inclined. A medium or spiritualist may be able to lead this process, if you are more comfortable.
Either way, the process will be something like this:
- Gather in a circle with the other members of your household, if possible.
- Ground yourselves and imagine you all surrounded in a white light of protection.
- Visualise a white column of light in the centre of your circle
- Ask the spirit to step into it, explaining that there is no reason to be afraid. You may feel the energy shift to indicate the spirit has crossed over.
Cleansing with Sound
There’s a lot to be said about sound therapies, the effect of tonal vibrations and infrasound, but my favourite method of dealing with the unruly undead is very simple – Open the windows, grab some pots and pans and make a big ol’ ruckus to chase the ghoulies away. As well as letting them know you’re not to be messed with, it’s a great example of using tools to focus your intention. What better way to say “F*ck you, Ghouls!” than being chased out of the house by a saucepan wielding freak?
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com
Step 4: Learning to Coexist With Your Spectral Roommate
In certain circumstances, it is possible to live in peace with the undead. After all, just because they can’t rest in peace, doesn’t mean you don’t have to, but a firm talking to about house rules every now and then may be necessary.
Similar to ignoring the phenomenon, this is likely the best plan for dealing with ancient residual energy, and may just take some getting used to.
If you’re of a particularly sensitive spiritual disposition, it’s also important to protect your own energy and taking time to regularly ground yourself will be helpful.
You can guard your energy using:
- Crystals with protecting and grounding properties such as Obsidian or Black Tourmaline.
- Regular cleansing baths
- Regular grounding meditations
Additionally, a peace treaty may be formed with mischievous elemental spirits by leaving small offerings for garden critters.
Step 5: Call In The Professionals
If you find your ghost particularly malicious or troublesome, and not responding to the methods above, it may be worth bringing an outside party into the situation. Not only will an outsider be able to view the happenings with a fresh set of eyes, but they may also have their own suggestions, specific to your own situation.
This could include:
- Your local Doctor – A doctor will be able to determine if any medical conditions are effecting your situation. This may include ruling out conditions such as epilepsy or carbon monoxide poisoning.
- A Paranormal Group – they may be able to investigate your home and help rule out certain earthly origins, such as high background EMF readings or infrasound. A group like this may also be able to put you in touch with a trusted medium or spiritualist if they feel it may help.
- A Spiritual or Religious Leader – if you follow a particular religion, a good place to start is your place of worship. Hopefully, they’ll be able to offer you some impartial advice and point you in a supportive direction, just don’t expect an exorcism. If an exorcism is the first thing they suggest, get a second opinion.
– Dr L J Hawthorn
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