Could YOUR House Be Haunted?? Feng Shui can help!

Ever wondered if ghosts are real? Several times I’ve encountered “haunted houses” while doing Feng Shui and Vaastu consultations and let me tell you that ghosts are very real. But while ghosts are nothing to be laughed about, they are nothing to be feared, either. Still, a “haunted” house isn’t always a harmonious, healthy or prosperous house – so it’s good to know how Feng Shui can help clear them away. But first, let’s learn a little more about ghosts themselves.

The ancient Vedic texts explain that a ghost — and there are many types of them — is a soul trapped on the astral plane without a physical body. Sometimes ghosts don’t pass on to the next after life because they are so strongly attached to people or their former place of residence.

Usually, however, a ghost has been the victim of a sudden, violent death or a suicide and now “haunts” the place where the horrific event took place. Since the ghost no longer has a physical body, he also does not have material senses to fulfill the human needs he still experiences. Thus, the ghost lives in a state of confusion and frustration, tied to his former-life existence and stuck in limbo between the material and spiritual worlds until he is released from the astral plane. 

Certain homes are more prone to attracting ghosts. And if you are looking to buy a home, be especially mindful of buying a home with one of these characteristics:

1. A house where someone has died. Sometime back I was analyzing a home that a client was thinking of purchasing. The needle on my compass kept moving nonstop in 360 degree circles and simply would not stop. I knew there that a ghost has to be present. A little detective work revealed that sure enough, the current homeowner’s mother had recently died from an illness. Her soul, however, had NOT passed on. Because of her attachment -- either to family members or to the home itself – the mother’s soul was still lingering. 

There are ancient Vedic mantras that can be recited to remove ghosts. I chanted one of these and then asked the ghost not to interfere with my efforts to get a compass reading. Finally after about 15 minutes, the needle on my compass stopped spinning abruptly and I was able to get a basic directional reading on the house.

Older homes are of course more likely to have ghosts since previous occupants may still be attached to the property. If someone has died in the home, it is always a good idea to inquire how the person died as well. If a person died of natural causes, that’s better. But if a suicide or murder took place in a home, then it’s a home you may want to avoid since the ghosts will be more unfriendly or more hostile and it will take a highly advanced spiritual person to release these ghosts from the home.

2. Homes near cemeteries or slaughter-houses. If the thought of going to a cemetery at night spooks you, then just imagine living near one. It’s not just folklore: ghosts do lurk around these places since they may still be attached to their buried bodies. Also, these places generate a lot of yin energies. Since a home should generally be a yang place – filled with lively energy – the overabundance of yin energies could stifle health, harmony and prosperity.

3. Homes that are excessively dark and damp. A dark, damp, musty home can easily attract ghosts. Again, this creates a yin environment that attracts ghostly energies. To create an environment that is far less welcoming for ghosts, take care to eliminate darkness and bring in the cleansing, energizing power of natural sunlight.

4. Homes built on top of grave sites or battlefields. You’d think this would be common sense, but often time passes and developers do indeed build on such sites. Would-be homeowners aren’t even aware of the fact that they are trying to live their lives on top of powerful streams of yin energies and – often – “stuck” souls. The ghosts make themselves known by playing little pranks (like switching people’s drinks at a Dallas bar built on top of a graveyard) or causing far more serious concerns.

If you are living in a home and you find yourself troubled by these ghostly entities, here are a few remedies which may help you rid your home of them:

* Spiritual sound vibrations – The most powerful way to clear a space of ghosts is reciting the Holy Names of God. For example, there are very specific Vedic mantras that when chanted will immediately remove ghosts. Christians can recite the Lord’s prayer. People of any religious tradition can repeat over and over the holy names of God. It doesn’t matter which names you chant as long as the names have spiritual meaning for you. If you prefer not to do the chanting yourself, get a CD of sacred mantras and play it continuously to raise the spiritual vibrations in a house.

* Combine the four essential elements – In addition to the spiritual sound vibrations, four elements are needed to purify a space: fire, ether, water and earth. Sprinkle holy water along the main entrances of your home. You can also place salt (the earth element) along the main entrances of a building, windowsill, or even the four corners of a room. To represent the fire and ether elements, burn frankincense or sage. In fact, burning frankincense incense or using a sage smudging stick regularly is a good idea for ridding a space of negative vibrations.

* Display holy objects - Placing holy objects and sacred pictures strategically throughout a house is also effective in creating higher vibrations and repelling ghosts.

* Keep your home clean – Dirtiness attracts ghosts while a clean home has the higher energetic vibrations that repel ghosts. If rooms are excessively dark, then use full spectrum lighting, lighter colors, open up windows, etc. Darkness also attracts ghosts so bringing in light can help to remove them. 

I know that all this may sound silly and superstitious. But the fact is that because ghosts pull in negative, overly yin energies, they can profoundly depress the positive energies in a house. So, even if no one ever sees a ghost, people living in homes where ghostly energies are at work may find themselves “haunted” by misfortune, health and mental stress, and troubled relationships. Best advice: if you even think there might be a ghost, have a Feng Shui consultant help you do a little detective work on what’s happening energetically in your home and make suggestions on the best way to clear the space and restore a supportive, nourishing energetic makeup.

(c) 2009 Rupal Mehta Turner