Ghost Busting, What skills/knowledge would I need? Options

Hey guys,
My grandparents' house has a reputation for being at least mildly haunted. I'd considered going up there with Grimstone possibly, once I've learned one of the general banishing rituals and attempting to clean the place out...I've also come up with a somewhat CM oriented formula for setting up barriers which seems to work reasonably well, since I was having problems with minor roaming nasties before having done so, and now do not get such problems.

I'll admit...banishing/warding and wanting to know about doing that in particular was probably my primary motivation for really wanting to learn about magic, practically speaking...Egon Spengler was something of a role model of mine as a child...so becoming a spiritual garbologist is probably the main area I could see myself wanting to specialise in. Hence, is there any particular advice that experienced banishers could give me, in terms of reading materials/recommended rituals etc? I'm assuming of course that the LBRP would be the primary thing...but are there others?

Also...seeing as how I'm a rank beginner as well at the moment, the main thing I'm concerning myself with is relatively low level spirits...I'd been under the impression that the average haunted house generally won't contain anything *truly* nasty in the grand scheme of things, (like say the Goetics, as an example) but I am curious as to what most people would use for the removal of misbehaving ghosts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/partytime.gif)

First thing is first I would gather data on the house. Actually go there and find out if the place is truely haunted or just really old. A lot of strange noises or occurances can usually be explained away.

I have never personally attempted to do, what is in affect, an excorcism. But everything I've read and heard about this is that they require expertise as well as days of preperation. If you wish to remove some entity(ies) from your grand parent's house I would contact either a priest or get ahold of someone who is more learned on the subject. Attempting to excorcise the house on your own, especially by yourself, would likely only piss the entities off. They may even become attached to you and plague you instead.

There are other occult applications for removing entities but they are still nothing you'd want to attempt without experience or at least by yourself.

This is a hard one for me to offer advice to. I know what should be done, and have offered similar advice in another post, however I feel the situation is different.

I would recommend more of a remodeling or thorough mundane cleaning/repainting to change the energy of the house.

When engaging an entity, you need to know more, and be confident in what you do. Even if you mess up and start to loose it you need to be able to recover.

The other side of the coin, is what is the bad part of the spirit, does it really need to be removed? No need to answer here, but it is a question for yourself.

Often places get a spirit or energy all their own. This can be good, bad or indifferent. I can think of a few places where shops just did not work over and over. You can think of it as bad location or what have you…but then a shop that seems to be perfect for the place does great, and quickly not only makes it’s business great but those around it improve as well.

I personally consider the spirit of a place and ghosts to be different, but both can be changed or destroyed in similar fashions.

Lastly it is always good to have a person who does not believe in any of this, but is willing to be supportive to come with you. If things get weird, they can do 2 things well, follow your instructions, and be a pillar to reality and normality…keep you from totally freaking out. At the same time, the wrong person can keep you from getting the right level of awareness you need to do what needs doing, or totally freak out in a first encounter situation (not good at all).

Try having a trigger to bring you back to cold reality, some topic that you bury that keeps you from thinking of spirits and such. Cars, football, football stats, computers….it needs to be something where the emotion is not classic/strong, but very solid. Just a subject that you know will turn your mind away from magick and emotions very quickly.

This is actually something I've been interested in for a while too. I know most people recommend bringing in a priest or otherwise expertly person, but I'm sure there will be situations where you don't have the time/resources/whatever for that. In that kind of situation, what could be done with your own magic? (or possibly yours and whoever is with you, depends on the situation I guess)

There's a ghost showing up multiple times over periods of time scaring my girlfriend (the ghost just stand there staring angrily at her) in her apartment. Happened right behind my back when I was in the toilet, I came out cursing at it and warned that I'll hunt and eat her alive (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush2.gif) if she did it again. Projected in my mind to her that she's free to roam the premises but not annoying the residence. I did some power vibrations, with a LBRP with the intention to create a wall so it won't enter into the room. Mixed squashed garlic with hot water and sprinkled it all around the room. It works and it stop bothering her for at least a few months. Just started again about last week, she saw the same woman ghost stroding and floating by at the corner of the wall looking at her vengefully (just outside the borders of my magical circle barrier that may have shrinked?) Probably will redo the barrier as soon I got the time.

Hmmm, I am thinking I may want to give a big post on this, however I have only personally dealt with this in a confrontational way twice. I did not get physical manifestations, to where I would say “Ghost”. But I did get spirit in the more general term. I have seen others deal with things more often and I helped…more on helping below.

My only experiences with physical manifestations, had me out of sorts and where over before I came to terms with it, I was also much younger and not as adept in this field as I am now.

Personally, I take a different approach then I recommend, I also deal with things in a very abstract or shamanic way. I think any TV ghost busting is playing to the camera…it is simpler then that.

Prep work.

1. Learn what you can. Whatever you can.
2. Form up a version that fits for you.
3. Get a feel for the space you are working with.
4. Figure out what needs to change in the space.
5. Make your plan of action.

Step 1.
Learning what you can is exactly that. Take in everyone’s point of view, everyone’s story. Accept them as all true, however if one does not ring true when you hear it discard it and move on. Don’t dwell on proving it or disproving it, or fitting it in…just take whatever comes as part of the model, unless on hearing it, it feels untrue or empty.

Step 2.
After all the stories, make your generic visualization of the entity you are dealing with. I am not for spirits of the former residents, but if that works for you, great…I go for very generic spirit/energy types. I guess simpleton emotional beings would be a basic description. Usually the maturity of a 3-6 year old with very limited communication ability acting out seems to fit.

This image needs to be concrete, as real as the sidewalk. It may take you some time, you may need to think it out. But once you have it you have it. it may change later, like someone you know about second hand and suddenly you meet them…but no other person should change your opinion after you made this construction, only you and it.

Step 3.

Get a real feel for the place, notice what life is like there. Every time I have noticed, it is as much an issue of the people/pets living/working there, as it is the house or business.

Just explore as if it was a place you never have been to and you don’t know these people. Truly get the feel with no preconceived notions.

Step 4.
Notice what needs to change. Places have a feel, they also have a feel of a certain function and a certain tempo. Fun and loud, content and quiet, cozy and loving….figure out what the place should be. This can be hard with family and such…but figure out what it should be.

Comparing what it should be with what it is, gives you what needs to change. In some cases you need to change what it should be to fit with what it is, this is most often what people want. This is harder to figure out what is needed.

Other times people need to change a bit to fit with the place, and other times there is something there that needs to leave.

Figure it out.

Step 5.
Make your plan as to what is needed to change things to be a harmonious existence. This might be as simple as cleaning things and throwing out old things.

It might be that the people in it need to be doing productive things both in the house and in their lives.

It might be a pet needs to learn to shut the hell up.

It might be that one person needs to stop being abusive to another.

It might be that there is an entity that needs to leave or cease to exist as it presently does.

Or it could be anything else.

Figure it out.

Deciding on how to accomplish those things requires every tool you have at your disposal and you need to be totally invested in the best possible outcome. Not emotionally involved, but totally invested, it must be your will.

For me, because it is always good to do, and gets everyone involved…cleaning, painting, changing things is always good. Throwing out things that serve little or no purpose.

This needs to be a ritual, it should be meaningful. It can be a celebration, or a bitter sweet parting, or a cathartic labor of love. But there must be that feeling of newness, out with the old outdated things, keep what is good and needed. Make space for things that are wanted.

During that time, is when you exorcise whatever needs exorcising…that process I think is very personal to people. It depends on your faith, your view point, what you got of the feeling of the thing you are dealing with.

It has to be complete for you. You can not skimp on anything…if you thought it required using roach bombs…it requires it and the people and pets will need to be else ware as they go off. If it requires blessed water from the Pacific Ocean…guess what. You will learn to think small, but there are times when it pops in for a reason.

Oddest thing for me was the rose water…I am not a flowery guy, making it cost quite a bit as I did not know I could buy essential oils and make it, and I made a lot more then I needed.

In general sulfur and lemon juice are my biggies, but that is not all I used or have seen used. Sulfur the way I use it only makes sense on tile or other hard floors.

In essence the exorcism is always about first inviting things to leave and then forcing them out. If it comes to forcing them out, you have to be completely committed, no half way, no, yes except… it is all the way.

I hope to never be in that position with another human being, I don’t think I can complete it…but then again I am not sure I can imagine not completing it, I just hope never to be in that position.

My only times I was confronted with something that did not want to leave, I took it within myself and was sick for a while…one was three days and the other about two months. So I don’t recommend that…but to each their own.

Choosing help.
One person who is as caring as possible is good, they can talk and be helpful in dealing with people while you are looking at things in a detached way. This person can be as sensitive as possible to subtle energy…you are using them in some ways as a canary, but you are keeping them from direct harm.

Another person needs to be a cold and as not caring as possible, thinking that what you are doing is silly and be along for the ride. This person needs to know as much of the mechanics as possible. You need a salt line and someone to shout OUT!!! At the top of their lungs…they need to be willing to do it when you need it. At the same time, it also helps when needing to just move heavy furniture. This is the role I learned things from. It is a difficult position to fill, when you know what is going on, but great training.

You yourself.
You need to prepare as if going to war. You need to have everything ready, you need to be resolute. You need to approach this as a long days work where you will not enjoy, you will not be thanked as you should be, but it must be done.
Out of everything I have done this is what I avoid the most now. Often the bad energy is just one person, or a pet. Imagine telling someone, ya get rid of your son and everything will be cool.

Real entities or spirit problems…I think out of 40+ I helped or did it was perhaps 5. In most cases it is just energy flow, all that is needed is some fresh air, cleaning, new paint in one room or another, perhaps a new carpet…but the feeling of freshness more then anything.

Getting a family or business thinking again in new directions as opposed to stagnating. The worst thing is if people keep on thinking the same thoughts after all the work…they will be in the same place in a year or two.

Worst I have witnessed, we butchered two chickens and a rabbit on the living room floor…then I got to clean it all up. The “exorcist” threw up three times, once not getting to the bathroom (I got to clean that as well). Exorcist claimed to have been attacked and thrown across a room…she did have a big bruise and some scratch marks. I was the cold not caring guy…I still think it was all a crock that it could have been done with some cleaning and moving the furniture.

Worst real instance, my three day sickness one. I was not even moving anything…just spraying and doing a little chant…it hit me like a truck. I went from bored mechanically doing what I needed to do, to frightened and knowing my soul was forfeit. It is hard to describe, but it is knowing that death will not save you, and you are totally screwed in every fiber of your being.

I got out of that by doing a personal inventory. This was something I did every time before going out of my apartment. Wallet, keys, pants, socks, shoes, tool box, shirt,…to include everything I needed with me for what I was planning to do. At that time I had no car (not needed where I lived) and not taking things with me meant a loss of an hour or more. That process was enough to get me back to where I should have been.

Instead of frightened I was a bit angry (at myself for being stupid) and very confrontational. So I skipped some steps and attacked the entity…ultimately absorbing it.

Next day I was sore and had every malady known to man. Congestion, headache, vomiting, cough, sore throat, the runns…following day was probably as bad but I was on drugs so it did not matter as much. I also had my girlfriend caring for me and she brought a curandera (rural mystic healer). The healer (an old woman) told me I was an idiot in about 8 different ways and said I need a clear head if I was going to beat this thing, or I would need someone to take it out of me, she just did some things and told me to drink soup and not have sex for a month.

The third day I walked to the river, feeling like crap. I hiked to a diving point (about 30 feet above the water) stripped down, and dived into the very cold and very clear water. That totally cleared my head, and the freezing swim and hike back to my clothes got me centered and whole. I was congested for a while after, but that was not the same as loosing fluids from all ends.

It took a second time for me to learn my lesson about controlling my anger, the second illness lasted longer, but was not intense. I just coughed every time I laughed or shouted for a couple of months.

Since then I have never been in that position, at the point I asked the energy to go as it was not wanted anymore, it did.

Now I do this every time I move and once every other year at home. If I get a chance to do it where I work, I at least do it with my space once a year. At one place of business I used to work at I know the place is haunted, I have felt it often and seen it in a mirror once. But it has never frightened me. I didn’t get the ghost vibe off of it, the reflection was more of a concept of what the building felt like. I never did any exorcism / banishing there…just now thinking of that, I did not realize until now.

I think the entity did challenge me once, but my change in demeanor at noticing it, defused any situation with it. I thought of it as a new toy to mess around with.

So that is my short version of exoticism. You need to learn banishing, centering/grounding, energy work, bindings, tricks to control your state of mind in any situation, whatever rituals and or tools you think you need (incense, powder sulfur, spray bottle, kosher salt are my norms). From there try to feel the spirit of a place, every place, every car, you go to…trees are interesting, strangers pets are also fun. To me it is not really communication except kind of a soft emotional connection.

Lastly exoticism and banishing, are probably bad ways to think of them…cleansing while a bit airy fairy for me is more of a common fit.