In this installment of Practical Magic, Lisa Stardust shares the signs of a haunted home, and explains what to look out for when ghost hunting. Always remember that magic is for believers, but this column can also simply serve as a guide to getting in touch with yourself — magically or not.
You’ve heard noises, smelt weird odors, and experienced bizarre dreams. You’ve seen the movies. Does this mean your house is haunted? It’s that time of the year when the veil between worlds is thin, so it’s best to take precaution.
Unfortunately, saying “Beetlejuice” three times can’t get rid of paranormal entities in real life. Below, check out the tools you’ll need to rid your home of spirits this Halloween — and learn whether your mind is playing tricks on you.
Is Your Home Haunted?
Note: In order to claim that a ghost is present in your living space, 5 or more of these signs must be crossed off your checklist. Keep in mind that for each of these otherworldly signs, there might be a simple, worldly explanation.
- You’ve experienced a strange, creeping feeling like someone is watching you. People who believe they’ve experienced paranormal activity often note a sensation that someone is watching them while they sleep. Eek!
- Putrid odors emerge from a localized area during a specific time of day.
- You smell familiar and comforting scents like perfume or essences that evoke specific memories.
- Weird sounds like whispering voices might indicate that another being is trying to get your attention — or there’s a residual haunting happening in your home. A residual haunting is when a spirit replays and relives a past event over and over.
- A flash of bright light occurs at the same time everyday in the same area of your home.
- Frigid cold temperatures in certain areas of a room, as well as a sudden drop in temperature (usually between 20-30 degrees) can mean there’s a ghost among you.
- Lights, TVs, or electronic devices turning on and off can be a sign that an entity is pulling its energy from your power source, or trying to communicate with you.
- You’ve had a peripheral sighting, which is a glimpse of a shadowy figure from the corners of your eyesight. Spirits tend to move fast, so they may appear to be dancing or look like a flickering shadow in the distance.
- Missing objects are found in strange areas of your home, in places other than where they were left or are usually kept. It’s safe to assume that you misplaced an item and forgot, but if it’s found somewhere you would never think of leaving it, then it may be a sign of paranormal hijinks.
- You have strange dreams you’ve never experienced before, and at night, feel a sensation of touch as though something or someone is reaching out to you.
