Recently we were interviewed for an academic research paper.

Here are some of the questions and some basic answers :)
(Just in case you did not know…)

QUESTIONS
1. Why do spirits try to hurt you?
2. Are there bad spirits (demons)?
3. Why do spirits show themselves to children?
4. Why can children see spirits but adults can’t?
5. Can spirits trap you in one place?
6. Can spirits trick you?
7. Can spirits deceive you?
8. Can spirits try to sound like a love one from your family?
9. Can spirits leave big bruises on you?
10. How come spirits take energy from around them?

ANSWERS
1. There are two types of spirits (usually): those that used to be human and walk on Earth, and those that were never human, are lower level entities, and are jealous of the living.
Many times, when someone is scratched etc., that can come from a lower level energy. Often, people mistake attempts of a spirit trying to just get attention as an attack. For instance, hair pulling, something falling off a counter or shelf that was dangerously close to someone and they almost got physically hurt by it, etc. Those spirits can be loved ones that have passed away and are just trying to make a connection. If it’s a mean spirit, it can be someone that was mean while living, or one of those lower level energies.

2. I think you’ve caught on by now: yes, unfortunately there are bad spirits. People try to classify them ALL as ‘demons’ because that’s the language that has been handed down from very religious times. When people are scared, it must be a ‘demon’. However, ‘bad’ spirits might just be very cranky and highly territorial energies that used to be human and have passed on. There are also many levels of the ‘lower levels’ that were never human. Some are demons, which demand non-demons to do their bidding etc. Some are non-‘demon’, but are up to no good anyway. All the lower levels want to cause problems for humans due to fierce jealousy of ‘life’.

3. Spirits don’t necessarily show themselves ONLY to children. It’s just that until we hit the age of four, we have not been taught by our parents to turn a blind eye to the many wonders around us. We still have our innocence and our natural curiosity. But when we go to mom or dad and say ‘strange things’ (like “I just saw Grandma!” [who has passed away]), we are told, “No you didn’t.” After a while, we begin to brush it off. It’s a learned behavior. MANY cases I go to have a small child between ages 1-4 that interacts with spirits in the home. The parents are (privately, away from the child, and sometimes in front of the child) freaking out and don’t want that to be in their home.

4. See above. Some spirits do show themselves to adults. Many adults I have met have seen spirits. I have also. It takes a LOT of energy to ‘show’ oneself if you are a spirit.

5. Spirits cannot necessarily ‘trap’ anyone – for long. There are cases of a door being locked, only to open a few minutes later. Any movie showing 5 teens “stuck” in a haunted house without the ability to get out is for entertainment only. I have not heard of any case where anyone could NEVER get out of a location.

6. Yes, spirits can trick you. Usually that’s done with ‘telling’ us an answer to a question that they later say the opposite to. I did have one spirit (and have heard about this with others too) that imitated the sound of my door opening and my husband walking in. He was not home at the time. But I heard the door open and his voice talk to me. Freaky!

7. The answer is similar to above. We have meters that we can encourage a spirit to ‘talk’ to us with, lighting them up for a ‘yes’ answer, or not lighting it for a ‘no’ answer. Using this tool, we have had many spirits tell us things only to find out later that they were lying – usually because they contradict themselves eventually.

8. See above. Yes they do! Keep in mind these are trickster types of spirits; most loved ones want you to know exact truthful things and will not lie, pull tricks, etc. It is not often that spirits try to sound like loved ones, but it’s not completely unusual either.

9. Supposedly, spirits can pinch people. Again, think in terms of nice vs. mean. Those that were nice on Earth, are nice after passing. Those that were cranky on Earth are cranky after passing. However, this does not mean that cranky people will get meaner after they pass on. I may have had a cranky uncle, but would not pinch me while alive, and won’t start after he’s gone. Spirits that bruise – I would associate that with spirits that do not know the person they hurt, and often as a last resort of “Go away and leave me alone.” It’s not common, but it happens.

10. Spirits need to gather energy to interact with the living. They may use if for things we don’t know about like travelling from one location to another, or whatever too.

Spirits take energy from electrical things (lights, TVs, batteries…), sometimes from people, and they love trees too (lol). Spirits are drawn to the living or they hide from the living. They either are nice and want someone to know they are there or they want to be left alone. In order to make noises, talk, show up as an apparition, etc. they need energy. They also seem to use up their energy and seek more. It takes a lot of energy to talk or show themselves for many spirits. It seems easier for them to knock on walls or make noises; it must require much less energy.