The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening ~ #12 New Release in Paganism @ Amazon

 

EDIT:  It just hit #5 !!

The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening is ranked #12 New Release in Paganism @ Amazon!! Holy buckets... thank you so much for supporting this book and ordering! Keep doing that at this link: click  HERE

The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening ~ Don't forget to leave an Amazon Review!

 

You can order a copy and leave your review via this link:
click  HERE

Many of you have asked how you can support me beyond buying your own copy of the book. One way you can really make an impact is to write an honest review of the book on Amazon.

Customer reviews lend credibility to products online. Reviews help people to make up their minds about purchasing a copy if they've been undecided.  Thank you for your help spreading the word about The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening. By leaving a review, you’re helping the book reach a larger audience, and making sure the book winds up in the hands of people who will enjoy it and benefit from it.

A New Opportunity May Lead to Solitude

*Note: in this video I mention the words and melody to a song that popped into my head as I was getting ready to do this reading. Watch the video and see if you recognize the song and can tell me the name of the song, who recorded it, and what decade it's from.

Hello and welcome!... There are three very distinct scenarios that showed themselves with this reading. Do one of these scenarios tell your story? Please be sure to Like this video and Subscribe to this channel so that YouTube knows I'm here. Thank you

It's Officially Released Today! ~ The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening

 

Order your paperback copy  HERE

It's finally here and available to the world!  I started this book in 2021 after an inspirational moment with that little voice in my head that said "write this book", and I was almost finished with the manuscript when I unexpectedly came down with a 2nd bout of covid, which put this project on hold.  So, seven months later, I'm extremely thrilled to be making this post and giving you the link to this beautiful and inspiring handbook and journal.

The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening includes:

• The Spiritual Journey  

Exercises, activities, & explorations:  creating your personal journal; exploring gods and goddesses; reconnecting with animals and trees; taking a spiritual walk

• The Witch's Spirit  

Exercises, activities, & explorations:  exploring earth, air, fire, and water; how to write your own spell; creating a magical recipe; a look at neo-pagan founders

• Preparing for Your New Spiritual Life:  

Exercises, activities & explorations:  getting rid of baggage; drawing positive energy to you; forgiving yourself with a blessing; opening your energy centers

• Botanicals and Pagan Spiritualism  

Exercises, activities, & explorations:  making for thieves vinegar; making black cat oil; growing your own herbs; blessing your garden

• Pagan Spiritual Practices

Exercises, activities, & explorations:  house cleansing; a basic candle spell; how to use a pendulum; setting up your personal altar

Time is of the Essence ~ time sensitive decisions to be made

 

A destructive experience, an unpleasant transition, or a lost opportunity can be avoided by laying down the sword and entering negotiations.  It (that sword) is probably getting pretty heavy by now, you've been holding it for quite some time, it's a metaphor for your defensiveness in or about a particular situation.

You feel powerless in the face of seemingly impossible decisions.  This is causing an abundance of anxiety and sleepless nights.

You're receiving a genuine and very generous offer or opportunity, but it's that chip on your shoulder that's going to reflect the final outcome.  Either way, the events connected here are going to play out very fast.  This means there will be no time for second guessing.

• Again, a repetitive theme plays on in today's cards:  There's an offer, a decision to be made, negotiations that must be seen through to avoid complete annihilation of -- a dream, a goal, an opportunity, a relationship, a business deal -- by making a decision, and making it quickly.

Time is of the essence.

Sneak Peek Inside! ~ The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening

 

I'm thrilled to have the proof copy of my new book (The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening) in my hot little hands! And I'm even happier to be able to share a sneak peek inside the book with you. It's beautiful, filled with charming illustrations, my own original photos, ample pages of beautiful water color lined paper for writing your notes, interesting boxes of additional info, and quotes from people who have wise words to pass along.

*click on the images to make them Larger

It All Points to a Relationship

 
The nine cards I've just laid all tend to figuratively spread out in a wide fanning ark around one particular card:  the Ace of cups.  (a new relationship)

Here's the advice the cards have for today

• 1)  Don't juggle two of these (relationships) at the same time.
• 2)  Don't move too fast, or you won't be moving at all.
• 3)  You might have to wind up making a choice, and the sooner the better.
• 4)  Don't rush in, all loud and obnoxious, filled with braggadocio. (This is the first time I've ever got to use that word)
• 5)  On the other hand, don't give the impression of being disinterested, or play hard to get.  It might backfire.
• 6)  It might start off all sweaty and passionate, but it's going to piddle out if you don't put effort into keeping it up. (The passion, that is)
• 7)  There may be an unexpected third option that comes along, so don't commit too soon, or at least make sure that you really mean it when you do.
• 8)  There's a Queen here who may appear aloof.  Don't let that facade fool you, she feels deeply and passionately, she just maintains a cool exterior. (You're in for a surprise)

The Loner, The Mediator, The Procrastinator

 

Hello and welcome!... There are three very distinct scenarios that showed themselves with this reading. Do one of these scenarios tell your story?

Are You Psychic? ~ well, are you?

 

You'll find the source for this post below.

As an astrologer, tarot reader, and occult practitioner, it’s quite easy for me to tell whether a client is psychic, certain planetary placements in a birth chart, card spreads, or even casual conversations about manfiestation reveal an individual’s extrasensory perceptions. Although I’m always thrilled to meet other super-feelers and am eager to share my observations, I always proceed with caution: Being psychic isn’t easy, and many people have misperceptions about what this gift actually entails. Working with psychic skills requires patience, practice, and lots of self-love.

I’ve come to realize that when many of us hear the word “psychic,” we imagine a neon-lit storefront, decorated with crystal balls, fog machines, and animatronic contraptions that manipulate supernatural occurrences — the true essence of “smoke and mirrors.” From an early age, we’re warned by our parents that these services are scams and begin associating psychic gifts, at large, as dubious and fraudulent. The otherworldly events we experience in childhood are often discredited, and even as we explore divination practices in adulthood, we are still quick to raise an eyebrow at the word “psychic.”

For many of us, the first step in tapping into our extrasensory abilities is divorcing this concept from deception. While there are definitely many charlatans who either exaggerate their skills or make them up entirely, these individuals are not psychics: They are con-artists who use fear tactics to pray on gullible or vulnerable individuals. In most cases, pretending to be psychic is just one of many exploitative schemes for these imposters.

Psychics, on the other hand, are simply individuals who are able to see, hear, feel, sense, taste, or have intuition beyond the boundaries of the physical world. It is difficult, perhaps even impossible, to firmly define what society deems “normal” perception. After all, we are conditioned to believe that our perception of reality is fairly concrete. We assume that everyone knows the sky as blue or can detect when someone is in a cranky mood, but as we continue to expand this sensory spectrum, we quickly realize that certain senses become increasingly less common among our peers. It is through this awareness that many of us become open to our unique, inherent psychic gifts.

• The Psychic Spectrum

Fundamentally, psychic skills are defined by an innate ability to process sensory data, both tangible and intangible stimuli, on an extremely deep emotional, physical, or spiritual level. Of course, this is a rather broad definition. Because extrasensory gifts vary greatly in intensity and application, it’s best to imagine psychic skills on a spectrum.

To visualize this range, imagine four friends meeting for dinner. The first individual to arrive approaches the host stand, speaks with the maître d', and is led to the table. After sitting, she notices that she’s missing a fork and that her water glass has already been filled. She’s quite thirsty, so she takes a sip.

Shortly after, the second friend enters the restaurant. He approaches the host stand and notices that the maître d' is scrolling through Instagram on her phone. Unsure of whether the maître d' is bored or indignant, the second individual delicately gets the host's attention through a gentle greeting. The host is gracious and welcoming, and the second individual is immediately relieved. The host leads the second individual to the table, where he sits down, greets his friend, and proceeds to review the menu.

The third friend enters the restaurant. As she approaches the host stand, she is overwhelmed with stimuli: She notes the restaurant’s garish décor, the servers’ swift movements, and a particularly loud gentleman in the back of the room who seems to be dominating the conversation. His energy is arrogant and abrasive, and his young children appear both embarrassed and afraid. Will they grow to adopt his behaviour, or will they reject it and become soft and docile? Suddenly, the third friend snaps back in reality as the maître d' asks how she can help. Once this third friend arrives at the table, she immediately shares her observations with her dinner mates.

Finally, the fourth friend walks into the restaurant. Upon entering, he’s completely overwhelmed by the movement, sounds, lights, and smells. Within an instant, he’s aware of interpersonal dynamics at each table, the complex relationships between the servers, the pungent odour of a particular dish that reminds him of childhood, and a few charred rafters on the ceiling. Had there been a fire? Suddenly, he senses an extreme heaviness (something bad happened here) and, avoiding the maître d', hurries towards the table of friends. He tries to shake off these experiences, but they continue to linger throughout dinner.

From the above example, friend one and two demonstrate a relatively standard range of sensitivity, while friend three and four exhibit more extreme extrasensory abilities. Consider your own experiences: How much stimuli do you absorb on a daily basis? Which types of stimuli resonate most deeply? How does it impact you emotionally? Physically? Spirituality? By understanding your own unique gifts, you can begin to learn how to tap into your psychic strengths.

• Tapping Into Your Psychic Abilities

Most frequently, we develop psychic abilities during childhood. These gifts are either passed down through close individuals (who, directly or indirectly, teach us this language) or are cultivated in response to environmental conditions. As children, we notice more, see more, hear more, and feel more.  These are basic survival instincts that enable us to safely move through the world. But as we mature, we are told to stop being so sensitive, that ghosts aren’t real, and that pain is always physical. Through this conditioning, we start to believe that emotions and intuition are antithetical to science and reason. We suppress our gifts, sneer at “clairvoyants,” and accept the physical realm as the full extent of reality.

But don’t fret, cosmic warriors: Your psychic gifts are never completely lost. Though it may require a bit of work to reignite these dormant skills, here and some easy tips and tricks for tapping into your extrasensory abilities.

• Grab coffee with your intuition

Imagine meeting up with an old childhood friend who you haven't seen in decades. You're excited to reflect on memories, and can distinctly remember your unique interpersonal dynamic. But a lot has changed since your playdates, and although your old buddy is still the same person, in many ways, you're now complete strangers. In order to build a new friendship, you'll need to get to know each other all over again.

In order to tap into your psychic abilities, treat your intuition like this old childhood friend. Of course, you're familiar with your intuition, it's always been part of your spirit, but you may have a completely different way of working together than you did in the past.

Cultivate a relationship with your intuition by developing a daily practice. One simple exercise involves assigning colors to your emotions. 

Start by considering a very straightforward experience, such as a frustrating conversation with your boss, or flirty text exchange with your crush. Next, choose colors to associate with these feelings (in this example, let’s select yellow and pink, respectively). Over time, this color will become synonymous with that emotion and your intuition will be able to communicate through this non-verbal language. Once the color has been fused with the energy, your intuition will be able to signal on events outside your immediate realities. So, if you see pink when your friend starts telling you about her new co-worker, you’ll immediately know that there’s a romantic link.

• Scan the room

Another great way to cultivate your psychic abilities is to practice “environmental scans.” 

To do this, position yourself in the center of a room. Move around the space, either physically or just with your eyes, noting the sights, sounds, and scents. Which areas are the most inviting? The least? Explore the corners, the windows, the furniture. How do these energies make you feel?

I know this exercise may seem a bit awkward at first, but trust me, no one will notice your psychic exploration. Practice these environmental scans in different areas:  parks, bars, offices, and even subway cars. The more you become aware of your surroundings, the easier it will be for you to pick up on subtle shifts in energy. Eventually, you’ll be able to extrapolate this skill to past memories, as well as future happenings. This is the first step to astral projection, the ability to willfully manifest out-of-body experiences. Of course, astral projection takes years of practice, but environmental scans will help deepen your psychic practice.

• Get dreamy

It may sound trite, but one of the best ways to access your psychic skills is through the subconscious.

In our daily lives, we are constantly creating boundaries to limit how much stimuli we ingest and with good reason. In order to live healthy functional lives, we simply cannot absorb everything we encounter. Accordingly, these experiences are often stored within our psyche.

The fastest way to tap into your psychic abilities is to cultivate a healthy relationship with your subconscious mind. Dreams are a great pathway into this realm: They symbolize the alternative reality to our waking world. Free of physical constraints, we can move effortlessly between spaces, exploring foreign lands, traveling to bygone eras, and encountering otherworldly spirits. Dreams are a portal, and the more acquainted we become with this subconscious realm, the more easily we are able to access the full spectrum of our psychic gifts. 

Be sure to always keep a pen and paper close to your bed. As you become increasingly comfortable with your subconscious, you will begin to realize the incredible fluidity between worlds.

The Source for this Post:

www.allure.com

author: Aliza Kelly

click HERE

9 cards ~ lot's going on here

 

So, I've basically spent this lazy hot Sunday wrestling with Microsoft word doing final edits on my ninth book.  I'm actually tired, it's almost like it was a physical wrestling match rather than a pitting of my wits against technology. But after a nice cold beer, very refreshing, and some calm moments at the dining room table with my new tarot deck, I feel ready to take a look at the cards and see what all they have to say to us --  nine cards, that is.  Here we go...

• 1.  There is someone who appears to have lost their equilibrium as well as their identity and their honest sense of self because they're so over-burdened by something in their life it has taken over.  If this is you, what has thrown you for such a loop?  How did you get to the point where you just accept it without question?  What would it take for you to ground yourself and find your center?  What would it take for you to put down the load you carry, or delegate some of this responsibility?  

• 2.  There is someone who is really stuck in their ways; I mean they hate change with a vengeance, and boy are they fighting it.  If this is you, how long has this struggle and resistance gone on, and how long do you think you can keep it up?  Transformations are never easy, and you are only going to make it more difficult and more prolonged if you remain resistant.  Most people around you only see a very stubborn and illogical person when they look at you, but I see someone who is terrified of this change.  I see someone who is struggling to keep their peaceful and consistent world around them unchanged.

• 3.  There is someone who is facing a financial question, or dilemma, or change.  If this is you, know that you have two really good offers coming in.  These are sound financial opportunities, both from reliable sources, and they both have good intentions behind them... but (there's always a but), the cards are telling me that you should choose:  1)  the older individual making this offer; 2)  the older more established institution making this offer; 3)  the individual that's been aware of and working on this situation the longest.

• 4.  There are two individuals who couldn't be more opposed or opposite each other.  The cards tell me that because of this stubborn opposition and the fact that neither one of you will back down and compromise, you might never reach a satisfying and happy conclusion.  Do you really want to stand there with your feet dug in, expending so much energy to hold your position?  It's making me tired just looking at the cards, you both must be exhausted, and when you keep something like this up, you miss out on a lot of happiness that passes you by.  The cards tell me that there is a happy ending in sight, really, there is.  The question is, which one of you is going to take the first step towards respectful negotiation?

• 5.  This is a hard one.  It involves a great transition, and it involves a very humble starting over.  Someone may actually be starting over minus an influence in their life that gave them much encouragement and positive direction.  It involves something so life altering that I, for one, would have to draw more cards on this situation.  It looks like someone is going to learn independence the hard way, by being thrown into the midst of life, expected to find and stand on their own two feet.

• 6.  There is someone who's done more than their fair share for so long.  You've just about worn out your shoulders from the burdens and responsibilities that other people have expected you to carry, and you've done this for so long -- and quietly, without complaint.  It's going to be a total shock to the people who have benefited from this when you literally throw off those shackles and discover new found freedom.  The cards tell me you shouldn't feel guilty about putting your life first, really, you've done more than enough.  The thing I'm curious about, what's it going to be that prompts you to do this?  It looks like it's something really -- really -- big.

A Saga

 

• First impression

Someone has given you a long laundry list of rules, do's and don'ts, too many to take in.  The cards tell me that this is a very demanding individual, one that feels entitled and is use to getting their way.  I don't see you acting on all these demands; but I do see someone standing near your shoulder, whispering wise counsel in your ear... this is either a family member, friend, confidant, or a loved one who has passed and still wants to look out for you.  

• The story

The cards tell me that there once was a situation that felt fairly happy and normal, but things have changed.  There now appears to be a setting where everyone is doing their own thing and no one seems to be thinking about how this will affect the family unit as a whole.  While half of the clan run amuck, there are two individuals so caught up with their own drama they are completely oblivious to the chaos around them... except for one person, so it seems, and this individual has had enough.  They will be making an exit, stage right.

The cards tell me that this individual has become disillusioned, frustrated, and simply does not know what else to do to cope.  So their solution is to simply leave. (I have to wonder, amidst all the hubbub and noise and confusion, will anyone notice their absence?)

The bottom line for this scenario is that you can't get rid of burdens so easily... anxiety, worry, indecision, melancholy will all be there, this individual will just be wallowing in them in their own solitary little world.

• The advice

To the noisy self-absorbed people in this story -- shut up and listen.  To the couple who are so wrapped up in themselves they aren't paying attention to anyone around them -- maybe you need some time apart, this sounds more like myopic obsession than love.  To the individual who leaves the sinking ship... if you are not able to move forward while leaving this chaos cleanly behind you, go back and make some noise, find  your voice, stop suffering in silence, knock a few heads together (figuratively) because it appears you've never done this before.  It's long overdue.

Truth and Transparency ~ a marriage made in heaven

 

There's one thing standing between you and happiness, just one thing... the truth.

Beware well thought out words and eloquent soliloquies of love and admiration, or explanation.  There lurks beneath this beautiful and glossy surface the dark and murky reality of deception.

Sometimes we believe what we choose to believe, because we think it makes life easier.  It doesn't, it makes life an illusion.

I wish I had more to say, but today's message is just that simple.

Time to Shift the Focus ~ on yourself

 

You have been pitted against conventionality for quite some time now.  You may even find yourself nose to nose with an individual that is closed to all those things your heart is open to.  You've approached them before, many times, armed (you thought) with all the right words to fracture the wall they have built around themselves.

They keep a very tight rope on those they are connected to, those more pliable individuals, often shielding them from a truth, or the real story, about you -- and them -- or something even bigger.  The cards tell me this has been an ongoing thing for a very long time now, so long that how or why it started may be lost in the dark mist of time and motive and reason.

They are impenetrable at this point, but you already know that.  In their mind they are right, and they always will be.  This idea is so entrenched within them, whether it is a reality or not, and even if it never was.  They've grown to believe it, for real.  The cards tell me that it's time for you to shift your focus now, to yourself.  Happiness is only a decision away.  

You've lost enough time.

NEW RELEASE! Coming this summer

 

It is my wish that this beautiful and inspiring handbook & journal becomes your companion as you explore spirituality and seek enlightenment.

Watch my social media and blogs for more information, including the release date and promotional posts, with a peek inside.

I know you'll love this book as much as I do!

Chipping Away/Beware the frienemey

 

Your Daily Cards:
3/pentacles; 3/swords; The Magician -- reversed; 10/wands -- reversed

You've been chipping away at something for quite some time now, diligently, even patiently.  The cards tell me that this is not the first such scenario for you, twice before you've done this.  "The third time is the charm", I hear in my head.  This is what people around you were telling you, at the beginning anyway.  Many of these people have since fallen by the wayside, grown impatient with you and your newest project, feeling that they've seen this all before.

Still, you keep chipping away, focused and undeterred by the lack of support.

It hurt, deeply, whatever this thing was that caused your heartbreak, this thing that brought you so much sorrow out of the teeth of despair, this thing that had once been hopeful, and bright, and potentially miraculous, all shiny and new.  Though it feels as those this thing rests in the past, you still shed a tear on many a day, brought on by memories and having survived the storm.

The cards tell me that there was one major individual who had a hand in all this, supported by someone too cowardly to come out publicly and truthfully state their opinion.  Beware this individual, they did not support you then, and they do not support you now.  They lurk around the edges of your life disguised as a friend.

You have not yet manifested what it is you so desire, but your persistence is to be admired.  There is another direction that you are meant to go, even though you are trying very hard not to think about this possibility.  But do think, deeply and with much clarity, be open to other options, choose wisely, maybe you have done all you can chipping away at this thing.  Maybe Spirit is offering you an alternative, another opportunity, another life path, that is waiting for you.

Know that changing direction, changing focus, changing your life will not make the burdens of regret, sadness, or heartbreak go away.  You will just be made stronger, and you will be able to carry them more easily on your journey, bolstered by new experiences, renewed energy, and unexpected blessings received along the way.

The Long Good-by

 Todays Cards:

• 2/pentacles, reversed

Someone is so exhausted from trying to walk a tightrope, trying to balance something overwhelming and impossible to contain.  You are just so worn out -- physically, mentally, emotionally -- trying to maintain a balance where one is no longer possible.  There is just a great feeling of weariness from this card for this reading.  This may be someone trying to balance two jobs, two relationships, or two sets of any type of circumstances that has just become such a burden.

The one thing I can tell you, is that between these two things, you are closer, more attached, more comfortable with one than the other; which should at least make the decision easier, the choice more clear cut.

• 9/wands, reversed

You have had to reset boundaries several times, over and over, and this is also making you weary, weary and exhausted.  You may have tried to handle a situation in a way you thought could make everyone happy, when this was not realistic, or possible.  There is a strong feeling here of someone who is battle weary, someone who is ready to throw down the gauntlet and move on.

The edges of your boundaries are scarred and weakened, and the effort you put forth to keep everyone on their side of the fence is becoming more difficult, especially since lines have been blurred.

• 2/cups, reversed

The couples card.  Heads are bent together, cups held for a final toast.  It's been a long and difficult road, and there is the realization that something may be coming to an end, someone is going to be saying good-by.  You've tried and tried and tried, but throughout this long and painful process, you now have to make a choice, you have to choose, a decision must be made.

The one thing I can tell you, you did not fail.  You made a valiant, though some would say misguided,  effort to keep something alive that was most likely coming to a natural conclusion.  

Transitions and the completion of cycles, often described poetically as death, is a pivotal and often traumatic event for the human soul.

Life will go on.

5 Famous Haunted Houses

The houses we're going to be looking at today:   Myrtles Plantation; Chamber's Mansion; Franklin Castle, LaLaurie Mansion; Sprague Mansion.

I grew up in a house filled with paranormal activity and hauntings.  When I was young, in my grandmother's house, no one ever talked about it, or the strange occurrences were shrugged off and given lame mundane explanations.  It probably made the adults living in that house feel more secure about the world around them.  Logical excuses were easier to assimilate into our conventional mid-west lives.

But, aha, I kept a journal, not only during the time I lived with my grandmother in the old house on East Second St in Mitchell SD, but also in the house I raised six of my children in located in 
Fremont NE.  

Here's a link to some of those experiences.  The newest posts will be at the top, but there's more juicy interesting experiences if you scroll down as well:  click  HERE

• Myrtles Plantation
  Location:  St. Francisville LA

Take an historic old antebellum plantation home from 1796, surround it with trees draped with Spanish moss, and set it in voodoo-rich Louisiana and you have the perfect setting for ghosts. But, you still need mayhem and history to generate ghostly spirits and there are lots of both at the Myrtles Plantation.

In 1808, Clark Woodruff took charge of the plantation from his deceased father-in-law, General David Bradford, where he kept things running along with his wife, Sara, and their three kids. Legend has it that Woodruff also took a special liking to a slave he owned named Chloe. But Chloe was immensely jealous of Woodruff’s family and baked a birthday cake filled with poisonous oleander leaves. Woodruff’s wife, Sara, and two of the children died. Chloe confessed, but fellow slaves hung Chloe and dumped her body in the Mississippi.

A host of other natural deaths occurred in the home, but the only other murder was when plantation owner William Winter was shot and killed in 1871 while standing on the front porch. He supposedly staggered inside, dying on the 17th step of the home. Myrtles Plantation is also reportedly built on the site of an old Indian burial ground and during the Civil War, Union soldiers ransacked the home.

While it is hard to separate fact from fiction, popular sightings of ghosts around Myrtles Plantation include the large mirror in the home that contains the spirits of Sara Woodruff and her children, ghosts seen around the 17th step and, of course, Chloe who is outside, tending to her plantings. The house is on National Register of Historic places and is now a bed and breakfast.

• Chamber's Mansion
  Location:  San Francisco CA

In the prestigious Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco is the Chambers Mansion, which was built in 1887 and named after its first owner, Richard Chambers, who was a silver mine tycoon. Legend goes that Chambers lived here with his two nieces who hated each other.

When Chambers died in 1901, the nieces inherited the mansion. One reportedly bought the house next door and moved in while the other sister, Claudia, stayed. Claudia reportedly loved pigs but met her fate one day when she was nearly cut in half from what her family called a “farm implementation accident.”

Ghost expert Jim Fassbinder, who conducts haunted home tours in San Francisco, “claims that an insane member of the Chambers family, who was kept in the attic, chased Claudia downstairs into the Josephine room and killed her.”

The mansion was eventually converted to the Mansion Hotel in 1977, where celebs such as Barbra Streisand, Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams stayed. Many guests have reported strange occurrences while staying there.

• Franklin Castle
  Location:  Cleveland OH

Complete with a tower, turrets, balconies, stone outcroppings, gargoyles, wrought-iron fixtures and fences, this imposing, Gothic-style Franklin Castle is said to be Ohio’s most haunted home.

It was built in 1860 for Hannes Tiedemann, an immigrant from Germany who became a wholesale grocer-turned-banker. Depending on who you believe, Tiedemann was either an evil tyrant who had a hand in mysterious deaths that occurred in the home between 1865-1895 — including the deaths of three babies — or he was a decent and hard-working man, but faced unfortunate circumstances.

There have been many owners of the home including a German singing society and a church group. Presently, it is owned by an Internet businesswoman who wanted to renovate it and turn it into a B&B and hold “haunted mystery weekends,” but a fire in 1999 derailed her plans. 

Paranormal activity includes sounds of footsteps, babies crying, and doors slamming.

• LaLaurie  Mansion
  Location:  New Orleans LA

Horrific stories of torture and abuse inflicted on slaves who worked in this house were reported in the 1830s and the abuser was said to be Madame Delphine LaLaurie, a socialite of great wealth and prominence in New Orleans.

Delphine and her husband, Dr. Louis LaLaurie, would host elaborate parties at the house, but soon, stories of vicious cruelty emerged. In one tale, Delphine was whipping the child of a slave when the child broke away and ran to the roof, falling to her death. The turning point for the home came when a fire broke out and when help arrived, they witnessed horrific scenes of punishment and torture inflicted on the slaves.

The home has undergone many changes and owners over the years, with one of the most recent owners actor Nicolas Cage. Cage said of the LaLaurie house, “You know, other people have beachfront property; I have ghost-front property… ” Unfortunately, Cage lost the property in a foreclosure auction. Read the chronology of the LaLaurie House by the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

• Sprague Mansion
  Location:  Cranston RI

One of Cranston’s most prosperous families, the Sprague family, owned Cranston Print Works, a textile mill that was the first to make calico prints and help pioneer chemical bleaching.

When William Sprague died in 1836, he left the business to his two sons, Amasa and William II. Amasa concentrated on the family business while William II focused on politics, serving as a U.S. Representative, Governor, and United States Senator.

On Dec. 31, 1843, Amasa was found shot and beaten on the road between his textile mill and his mansion. A man was hanged for the crime, but later found to be innocent. The true killer was never found. The Sprague family’s fortunes eventually faded and the Sprague Mansion changed ownership many times until the Cranston Historical Society saved it from demolition in 1967.

Hauntings of the mansion most often observed include Amasa in the wine cellar and a spirit thought to be “Charlie the butler” descending the main stairway. Legend goes that Charlie’s hopes and dreams of riches were dashed when his daughter did not marry the wealthy home owner’s son. Read more about the Sprague Mansion ghosts.

The Source for this blog post:

cnbc.com
author:  Paul Toscano

Adulting, cause it's time you do/Drop burdens that were never yours to carry