How to Get Rid of a Ghost

If you feel you may have a ghost in your home, there are some things to consider before rushing in with sage wands, demonologists, or holy water.

While some of these common contemporary techniques may work, there's no denying they are based in firm belief systems and dubious notions. The truth is, ghosts and hauntings are filled with complex, subjective dynamics, are notoriously emotion-filled, and rely on interpretation and speculation.

Depersonalizing the scenario on all fronts may be the best first step one can take in getting rid of a ghost. First, let's look at some of the dynamics that may be involved.

Personal dynamics of ghostly activity

Investment

It's easy to get caught up in all the fanfare associated with ghost activity. Whether the consequences are positive or negative isn't necessarily the issue; the truth is, a lot of powerful ideas are associated with it. People who experience ghost activity are sometimes said to be "sensitive," or natural mediums, and there is a general sense of being somehow "set apart" spiritually.

There is also a sense of victimhood associated with hauntings. Of course, no one really consciously hopes to profit from this kind of stigma, but it can be a strong attractor. The things that accompany it can be appealing: intrigue, high drama, sympathy, interesting people, and both small and large-scale attention.

Projection

Most stories of true hauntings begin with ambiguous phenomena, and progress as the people involved begin injecting assumptions, meaning, and details into the situation. Many people personify anomalous activity-they literally create a character, sometimes with very detailed information about age, gender, social class, clothing, life experiences and desires of the entity, and reasons for the haunting.

Whether these conclusions are drawn based on historical research, psychic impressions, or even out of a desire to make the phenomena less threatening, the fact is that it is all guesswork, based on very elusive evidence. For whatever reason, it tends to fuel the phenomena.

Interaction

Another common thing that fuels the phenomena is people interacting with the ghost. Ouija boards, psychics, and constant rumination upon the activity usually leads to increase. Unfortunately, the common techniques used to get rid of a ghost include this type of interaction.

Attachment

Whether the phenomena are objectively real or completely imaginary isn't the heart of the matter-making it stop is. If you're to the point where you want to get rid of ghostly activity, it simply needs to not matter. If you need the validation of having fought a difficult battle, being correct in your assessments, or winning, it might be time to review the ideas associated in the " investment" section above. Having attachments like these will likely lead to unresolved outcomes in getting rid of ghosts.

How to depersonalize the activity

Review all the above dynamics and ruminate upon any involvement they may have had in your own situation. Resolve to immediately stop all involved activities and consciously neutralize all dogmas that have been created around the ghost activity. Give it absolutely no power, and take back all rights over your own home.

This may be more challenging than it sounds, and it may not happen all at once, especially if there is a long history of built-up energy and investment in the activity.

If you find yourself resisting, very emotionally vexed or conflicted, it may be a sign professional help is needed. If this is the case, don't hesitate. By professional help, I don't mean a group of ghost hunters, a priest, or a parapsychologist-I mean a secular, academically trained therapist of some sort.

Notes

I realize this may seem like a dismissive, ignore-it-and-it-will-all-go-away suggestion, but I assure you that is not the case. Through the work of evaluating the "personal dynamics involved in ghostly activity" it will become clear there is a lot involved.

This method differs from others in that it is empowering, and relies on no accoutrements or unproven belief systems. Remember your point here is not to investigate ghosts, philosophize about mysteries, prove or disprove anything, or go ghost hunting-you want to get rid of a ghost.

Because paranormal activity seems to progress once things become personalized-either as taken in by the experiencer or as applied to the activity-purposefully letting go of these notions is a sound and grounded first step in successfully banishing unwanted paranormal phenomena.