While I was talking with my mother on the phone today, she told me that last week while she was watching TV, a lady's voice yelled out her name. This voice came from behind her. When it happened, the family dog came out of the bedroom, barking wildly. Though my mother's name was called out loud, no one was seen to be there. We are both wondering if this was a good spirit or a bad spirit, if there is cause for concern, and if something needs to be done in response to this event. Thank you!
Lee
Astrea:
I could discount this whole experience as something your mother imagined if it wasn't for the reaction of the family dog. Dogs react to energy as well as things they physically see, so there was something in your mom's house that called out to her.
Often spirits who have suddenly found themselves disembodied will focus their energies on calling out to living beings. They don't know yet that they have left the physical world, so they expect for us to be able to see and hear them normally.
I'm sure your mother actually heard her name being called, but that doesn't necessarily mean this was a person she knew in life. While sometimes we do hear our departed loved ones calling out to us, it's more likely in this case that what she heard was a lost or trapped spirit who is earthbound for now.
Many places act as conduits for such spirits. The stairs in my house get positively crowded at times because those stairs in that peculiar location draw spirits who are not quite ready to move on into the Light.
Because your mother heard this voice just one time, it's doubtful that this is the case in her home. If she was hearing stuff like this all the time, or low, constant murmuring or mumbling, then I would assume that her house was attracting spirits.
Her dog's reaction also rules out the home as conduit theory because he isn't barking all the time at things no one else can see. Because animals are far more accepting of spirit energy than we humans tend to be, they can actually see the entities that pass through our homes or come to visit us. Since your dog had a violent reaction to this one, it's best that it doesn't hang around.
Since there haven't been any more incidents like this one, chances are that this spirit has already moved on to another place. If this kind of thing continues, you can either clear the energy there yourselves or call in a professional to do it for you.
Even if this was a one-time event, once that door is opened, other spirits are more likely to use it. Cleansing and clearing your home four times a year can keep unwanted spirits out, so go ahead and do your winter ritual.
If you don't have one, invent one or smudge the home with a sage stick. (Be sure to open the windows a bit!) Waft the smoke throughout the dwelling to be sure that you're rid of anything that might want to annoy your mom or her dog in the future.
*****
Susyn:
It sounds like your mother had a paranormal experience, especially considering her dog's reaction. You don't mention if she has had other experiences in the house, so I'll assume that this was an isolated incident.
There is no way to tell if this was a good spirit or a bad spirit based on the information you have, but it is interesting to note that the spirit knew her name.
Spirits are becoming more and more adept at making themselves heard these days, as evidenced by the growing popularity of Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). While finely-tuned equipment has recently been designed to pick up spirit voices, since the voice heard was loud enough to startle the family dog as well as your mother, you may be able to capture the spirit's words with a common tape recorder.
Your mother could set up a tape recorder and leave it running throughout the night. In the morning, she can listen to the recording to see if she hears more from this woman. This should help determine whether this is a good spirit or a bad spirit, as well as what she is doing there.
In the event that you learn enough to determine that this is a spirit your mother does not want in the house, you will want to perform a smudging of the house and ask her to leave.
To perform the smudging, purchase a sage smudge stick from a local metaphysical shop. Light the end of the stick and as it smolders, walk through each room in the house and ask in a commanding voice that all negative, unwanted spirits vacate the premises immediately.
Be sure to smudge around windows, doorways and especially electronics, for televisions, phones, computers and wall outlets are favorite hangouts for these entities.
On the other hand, your mother may discover that this is one of her angels or spirit guides, though they are not generally known for yelling. It could also be a loved one who has crossed over and has been trying to get her attention.
I recommend your mother begin keeping a journal to chronicle any future events. In the mean time, she can monitor the situation with the tape recorder. After gathering more evidence, the two of you should be able to figure out who this is and if any further action needs to be taken.
If you discover that this is a negative spirit, and the smudging doesn't send them on their way, you may need to call in a professional psychic or shaman to take care of the matter for you.
Astrea:
Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.
Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!
While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!
I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!
As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.
I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.
You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!
Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.
A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.
You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.