Blog: Halloween Hauntings

During this time of year the veil between heaven and earth thins and we mortals are able to experience the spirits that roam the earth. Is this true or not?

Let’s look at the history of the day. Before Christianity the celebration was a harvest festival to mark the ending of Summer and the transition into Fall. During this time pagans used the festival for supernatural encounters.  During Charlemagne’s revival around 800, the Catholic Church changed the pagan holidays to Christian holidays Nov. 1 became All Saints Day. During this day souls were released from purgatory if they were purified enough to be sent to heaven. 

Halloween comes from the name "All Hallows Eve." Thus the evening before All Hallows Day, which is another name for All Saints Day. 

Those left behind would pray so their dead could transition to heaven and they would gather prayers for their loved ones. These would take the form of little cakes that neighbors made to represent a prayer they said for the dead. The more gathered, the more prayers they had for their recently passed loved one. 

In some countries only the poor would go around during this day to gather food in exchange for saying prayers for the dead. In this case the person whose loved one died would prepare food and gather prayers from those who coming to their door. 

Where the trick comes in before the treat is those gathering prayers would do a trick such as sing for their cakes or maybe say a poem so they can gain their reward. This is similar to Christmas caroling and in ancient days some cultures would dress up during the event as if they were players. These eventually became the costumes we see today. 

Halloween costuming was first reported in Ontario in 1911. It wasn’t until 1920s after World War I when we see it reported in United States. Perhaps the practice always existed in America, but not of any significance until the many souls from the war needed to move from purgatory to heaven.

The theory is purgatory is below the earth and earth is a stop on the way to heaven. Those souls who are moving towards heaven may roam the earth on All Saints Day from midnight Oct. 31 to midnight Nov. 1.

Being a metaphysical doctor I work on the spiritual side of the body, mind, and spirit triangle. I am especially trained to tune into spirits. One of the unusual things I do is help those who are earthbound return to heaven. I don’t find the day to be anymore special than the rest of the year, except maybe normal folks can be more in tune.

I did have one personal ghost story which happened to occur on All Saints Day. I was staying at my parents home in my brother’s bedroom, which everyone had first-hand experience of spirits.  As a matter of fact we named the one spirit who lived in my brother’s closet Sir Cedric. I haven’t seen him in years.   

But a few years ago I come in late and exhausted leaving a trail of clothes as I headed for the bed, figuring I would get them in the morning. I remember thinking of asking my mother to crochet me some dish cloths since the last ones I had were getting worn.  

I woke up around 3 a.m. and my clothes were all picked up and neatly folded on my chair. My shoes were together and in a place where I never put them. On top of the clothes were a couple of dish cloths. I thought how strange, I didn’t remember mentioning them to Mom and she never comes up the extra flight. And she doesn’t usually fold the clothes that way she must have been in a strange mood.

As I thanked her in the morning, she was really confused, wondering what I was talking about. I went upstairs to retrieve the dish cloths. She said they were in the back of her linen closet and she forgot all about them. She bought them from a church lady a few years ago. This was the same lady who died a few months earlier and left a dog, which my parents took. I never met the dog since he died of a broken heart missing his owner so much that he wouldn’t eat.  

So was the lady and her dog there? Or was she just passing through on All Saints Day and wanted to have her dish cloths go to someone who would use them? Did this just happen to occur on All Saints Day and what really brought her into focus was my desire to have dish cloths? Maybe she is always hanging around and just happened to be able to move the cloths, shoes and other objects that night. It is another thing on my list to ask when I get to heaven.  

Enjoy the start of your holiday season.

Linda Bender is a metaphysical doctor trained as a medical intuitive. She uses more than 20 life coaching and touch therapy techniques to help you reduce stress and pain so your body invokes its natural healing ability. She is at on Church Street in Phoenixville. See www.BenderHealing.com or call 800-706-1354 for more information.