paranormal
The Fascinating Phenomenon Of Table Turning
Table turning, also known as “table tipping” or “table tilting,” is a fascinating form of spirit communication that occurs during séances.
It involves participants sitting around a table and placing their hands lightly on its surface to communicate with spirit. The table then moves or tilts, or in exceptional cases floats or rotates, in response to questions posed to spirit.
Table turning became popular in the mid-1800s, a time when Spiritualism was quickly gaining popularity in Europe and North America. People were intrigued by the idea of communicating with the afterlife, and séances became a common social activity.
People in those days didn’t have the resources or easy access to mediums and channelers that we have today. So, small groups of family and friends would gather and communicate with the spirit realm.
Table turning was also considered a wonderful way to entertain guests at social gatherings and was even considered a parlor game. Even President Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, is said to have attended and even hosted séances at the White House.
Other well-known spiritualists of the time, such as the Laurie family and Nettie Colburn Maynard, reportedly attended séances with the Lincolns. Mrs. Lincoln was deeply interested in spiritualism and mediumship, especially after the deaths of her sons, Edward and later Willie.
Paranormal, Or Perinormal?
When we hear the word “paranormal,” we often think of ghosts, psychic abilities, or UFO sightings. But what does the term really mean?
Many of us have had moments that feel mysterious or beyond our understanding — experiences that challenge the way we see the world. What’s interesting is that these experiences aren’t always “paranormal” in the traditional sense — they may actually be “perinormal.”
Understanding the difference between these two ideas can help us see our everyday experiences in a new light, making it easier to connect with the mystical side of life without feeling overwhelmed by the unknown.
“The word “paranormal” comes from the Greek word “para,” which means “outside” or “beyond” normal. It refers to things that are beyond the limits of what we can scientifically measure or explain.
Paranormal experiences, such as ghost sightings or psychic phenomena, defy logic and leave a lasting impact on those who experience them. They’re those mystical or supernatural experiences that break the rules of reality and are completely “outside of normal.”
“Perinormal, on the other hand, comes from the word “peri,” meaning “around” or “near.”. These experiences are on the edge of “normal” — they’re those things we sense, feel, or observe that are related to subtle, measurable energies or natural laws, but also remain mysterious and unexplained.
Perinormal experiences show us that the spiritual and mystical are often much closer to reality than we realize – they just exist in a space we do not yet fully understand, or perhaps never will?
Spirit Signs From The Other Side
As a psychic medium, I am often asked certain questions about the afterlife and the spirit world.
Is there life after this life? Where do souls go when they die? How do we know if our deceased loved ones are near? How can you tell if they are okay on the other side?
The first thing I usually explain is the nature of soul energy, the nature of consciousness and the afterlife.
Everything is energy. We are pure energy, and energy cannot be destroyed; it only changes form. Therefore, death as we know it does not exist.
Our soul energy is the essence of who we are, a form of pure, indestructible energy that transcends the physical body.
When we no longer need our physical body, our energy simply takes on a new form. Some people call this heaven or the afterlife, but it’s basically energy in a different state at a higher level of consciousness.
Our consciousness does not end with physical death, but transcends it, while our soul retains awareness, memory, and connection to other souls. The soul’s journey does not end; it evolves and remains connected to all that it has touched in this life.
Is there a “hell” or “purgatory” or a place of “eternal damnation”? In my experience, no spirit has ever told me that they are now in a “bad” place, or that they are suffering or being punished in any way.
The Mysterious Mischief Of Poltergeist Phenomena
I have always been a sucker for scary ghost stories. In fact, the scarier, the better! Since my teenage years, I have sought out sensational tales of the supernatural for the sheer thrill of it.
One particular story, that of “Pete the Poltergeist,” still stands out in my mind.
Britain was going through a recession in the 1980s, but despite the economic downturn, two self-employed men in Cardiff managed to run a successful lawnmower repair business called Mower Services out of one of their homes.
One day, one of the men thought he heard someone throwing stones at the door of the workshop, but when he went outside, he was surprised to find that no one was there. The rocks seemed to come from nowhere!
Later, the men noticed that their keys were hidden, and there was a very strange smell in a certain part of the workshop that suddenly became extremely cold. Later, they began to even find money and witnessed objects being thrown across the workshop floor – but they did not know what or by whom!
As a result of this unexplained activity, they decided to close the shop one night and conduct their own séance-style experiment. They placed their hands on a table, fingers touching, and asked the presence to throw a stone at them – which it did! Then one of the men asked for a pen and the entity threw one at them as well!
Who or what did this? The two men simply concluded that they had a ghost in their workshop that had become “like a member of the family” and decided to nickname it “Pete the Poltergeist.”
How To Deal With Spirit Presence In Your Home
Spirit energies are around us all the time in all shapes and forms. Many people have experienced, or at least know someone who has, a spirit presence or paranormal activity in their home.
These encounters can range from subtle to intense, and the nature of the experience often varies greatly depending on the person’s beliefs, fears, and openness to the supernatural.
For some, the presence of a spirit is a source of terror, while for others it is a comfort, like being in the presence of an old friend. Then there are those who scoff and laugh at the very idea that a ghost could exist.
These varied responses highlight an important question: why do people have such different experiences with spirits?
In my experience, it depends on two main factors: a person’s beliefs and attitudes about spirituality and the supernatural, and the nature of the spirit presence itself, whether it is benevolent or malevolent.
My grandmother came to me within three days of her death to tell me she was okay. She gave me a sense of peace and I didn’t see her again. Years later, my mother also came to me to tell me that she was okay and that all was well where she was. It was also a one-time visit.
But with my stepson, who committed suicide, and my father, it was different. He started showing up at his former house (he had left a wife and two beautiful boys) on a regular basis. He would turn on the lights or the faucet. In the middle of the night she would hear our grandchildren talking and giggling in one of their rooms. They were only two and three years old when he died. She went to investigate, thinking they were up to no good, but only one of them was in the room. When she asked who he was talking to, her boy said, “Daddy was here.”
The Haunted History Of Music City
Many cities around the world are home to their fair share of ghosts and haunted places. Nashville, Tennessee, also known as Music City, is no exception. With the city’s rich and diverse cultural history, from early Native American times to the Civil War to today’s country music industry, it’s no wonder Nashville is haunted.
The unique histories of cities like Nashville, New Orleans, and Savannah, which have experienced war, disease, natural disasters, and slavery, contribute to their reputations as some of the most haunted places. In these cities, many people died under unpleasant circumstances, and much of the modern urban landscape is built on old graveyards and cemeteries, adding to the lore and mystery of these places.
One of the most famous ghosts in Nashville is that of Adelicia Hayes, a 19th century woman whose second husband built the city’s famous Belmont Mansion. Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham (1817–1887) is an influential and controversial figure in Nashville’s history and was one of the wealthiest women of the antebellum South. Her first husband died in 1846, leaving her an inheritance valued at approximately $1 million, which included seven Louisiana cotton plantations, a two-thousand-acre farm in Gallatin, Tennessee and hundreds of slaves.
The Difference Between Ghosts And Spirits
The terms “ghost” and “spirit” are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences in how they’re traditionally understood.
Over the years, I have found that it is quite common for people to sometimes confuse ghosts with the spirits of their deceased loved ones, primarily because both concepts involve entities that are no longer living in the physical world.
However, understanding the distinction between these two types of entities is important for those seeking comfort, closure, or communication with the afterlife, especially in the context of mediumship readings and spiritualism.
Our emotional connection to the deceased often influences how we interpret paranormal experiences. Grief, longing, and love can make us more receptive to signs and spiritual energies that we believe are from our deceased loved ones.
Without a clear understanding of the differences between ghosts and spirits, any unusual paranormal activity may be misinterpreted as evidence of a loved one’s presence.
While both ghosts and spirits are spiritual phenomena related to the survival of human consciousness beyond the death of the physical body, there are distinct differences in these two types of entities’ connection to the physical world and their level of progression or transition into the afterlife.