Experiencing the Pain of George Washington Before he Passed

Mt. Vernon behind the sign for the house tour

Recently I visited the home of Mount Vernon, the home of President George Washington and his wife Martha. The home sits overlooking the Potomac River in northern Virginia, about 11 miles south of Washington, D.C. It was also there that I had an interesting, but short experience.

  Sometimes, ghosts have shared their pain with me to tell me that they still linger. This was a similar experience. 

  When I entered the mansion, I sensed some residual energy from emotion that lingered in the home. 

  Upon going into one of the upstairs guest rooms I was overwhelmed with energy, and suddenly got a sharp pain in my throat! - I wasn't sure what was going on. The sharp pain became a dry throat, and it hurt. After walking through the room into a small hallway where a docent stood I learned why I felt that pain. 

  The docent said "You are now in a small hallway, and pointed to an adjoining bedroom. She said it was the room where George Washington died. She said that he said 2 days before he died that he suddenly had "a sharp pain in his throat!" 

  So, I immediately knew that President Washington was letting me know what happened to him, and what he experienced before he died! I didn't really expect to meet President Washington that day, but it seems I did.

  
SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S PASSING from a Doctor, blogging on Salon.com. Source: http://open.salon.com/blog/michael_hebert/2009/02/16/what_killed_george_washington


Joseph Ellis' biography His Excellency: George Washington includes many fascinating details about the life of our first president, including the account of the president’s death in 1799, at the age of 67.  

Swearing in of Pres. Washington- Mt. Vernon Exhibit

One morning in mid-December 1799, Washington went out, as it was his daily habit, on horseback from his home to inspect his Mount Vernon property. That particular day the weather was very cold and there was an ice storm. It is said that Washington spent five hours out in freezing rain, then returned home and dined with guests in his wet clothes because he did not want to keep them waiting. The next day he complained of a sore throat and was hoarse, but otherwise appeared well. The following night he awakened Martha to tell her that he felt a severe pain in his throat, and was having trouble breathing.

George and Martha Washington's tomb on the grounds

The next day his personal physician, Dr. James Craik, was summoned. Craik diagnosed the condition as life threatening, and hastily assembled a team of doctors for aggressive treatment. They bled him of five pints of blood, burned his neck, and gave him calomel, a mercury compound used as a purgative but which probably did little more than induce mercury poisoning. Finally, after several days of this torture, Washington displayed the judgment that made him a great president and told them to stop. According to Ellis: “Eventually Washington ordered his doctors to cease their barbarisms and let him go in peace. ‘Doctor,’ he muttered, ‘I die hard, but I am not afraid to go” (p.269). He expired a few hours later.

Moving out of a Haunted House? Some Suggestions

Moving out of a Haunted House? Here are some suggestions.

   Recently I responded to the following question: We are moving out of a house that we know has a ghost in it. How do we make sure nothing follows us? What should we do?

  Margaret, manager of Inspired Ghost Trackers of Maryland, gave this good advice:  I don't think will follow you, but just to be on the safe side make sure you tell them that they can't follow you and they are not welcome to go. They must stay where they are. And, of course if they do follow you then you know who to call!

Credit: http://www.gallopade.com/client/client_pages/MysteryPhotoContestGI.cfm

  Here are my suggestions: 

Typically ghosts stay at a place comfortable and familiar to them.

*Tell them not to follow you, and stay put, or better yet, tell them to move into the light.  

*Put sea salt just outside the. front door to block them from leaving.

*Picture yourself surrounded by white light and positive energy to act as a block to a ghost's negative energy.

*Finally, think positive thoughts when departing. Ghosts feed off negative energy, so don't give them anything to cling to.

Remember the Humanity of Ghosts

   Like many people, I also watch a lot of the ghost "hunting" TV shows: Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, and Ghost Adventures. Although its fascinating to see people use scientific equipment to prove that ghosts exist in the buildings they explore, they never take a medium with them. I think that's a mistake. Why? Because mediums can communicate with ghosts to learn why they are still there, and help them cross over into the light where they belong.
   I belong to a great ghost group, and they're called "Inspired Ghost Trackers," because they use scientific equipment to "Track" ghosts, not "hunt them." Whenever we find a ghost we also try and cross them over, because they deserve the peace of being with their families.
   I didn't always have this awareness. Yes, I knew spirits were people who passed, but earth-bound ghosts always had more of a mystery of who they were. My friend Louis Charles, author of the great book "Ghosts Need Help, Too" really helped push that awareness in me some years ago. It's an amazing book, and one that all in the "ghost hunting business" should read to help remind them that ghosts need help crossing into the light.
  Remember, ghosts had lives on Earth. They were people, too. They may have had children, spouses, pets, jobs. They traveled and worked. They lived and breathed. Now they deserve that final peace. After all, most ghost hunters will get a sound file from a haunted location that says "help me."
  Although they may initially choose to stay on Earth, they forget how to cross over and need our help to do so. They belong in the light and as part of the energy of the cosmos, not on Earth.

Hatred, Division, Intolerance and the Afterlife

Treatment of other people has a direct impact on what happens to you in the afterlife. Let me give you a current example from today's headlines. In Maryland, legislation just passed through the House and Senate approving gay marriage. The governor has said he'll sign it this coming week, which is a great thing for all. Why? Because all people are equal and deserve the same rights.
 - So, what does this have to do with ghosts and spirits? Plenty.
- People who believe that others are "less deserving" of rights here on Earth are wrong, and they will pay for it in the afterlife. Only people who treat others as equals, love others and respect others will advance in the afterlife (remember we talked last week about three levels in the afterlife?).
 - Here's the reason I bring this up. Some of the African-American churches and the Catholic Church in Maryland have been the most vocal opponents of gay marriage/marriage equality. It strikes me as odd, for a minority who endured such terrible injustices and a painful,  horrible, uphill battle for equality, would strike out and want to deny another group of minorities the same rights that they were finally granted. Some African-American preachers, and the Catholic Church (that I used to belong to) are now citing THEIR religious beliefs to deny CIVIL rights to others. This is Wrong on many levels.
 - One: The U.S. is not of one religion, nor did our founding fathers want it that way.
 - Two: Marriage is a civil right, not a religious one. People who are non-religious, elderly, infertile, agnostic, and atheists marry all the time.
 - Three: Judging others and denying them of equal rights and protections is hateful.
 - Four: This kind of hatred and intolerance will be something they will ATONE for after their life is over. In fact, some of these preachers will be begging for forgiveness on the other side and will likely not be able to move into the light.
  I have received messages from people who have passed, that have shown similar hatred and intolerance during their time on Earth and are now on the other side, asking for forgiveness.
 - The Lesson: Don't be one of those people. Fight for your fellow man. Religions are man-made, and do not understand equality. They are good bases for faith, but should not be the law for all people. Don't criticize and harass or bully people because of their weight, size, height, nationality, religion, sexuality, beliefs. Everyone should be treated equally.

Three Levels in the Light

                                                                          Last week I discussed how our conscience and soul translate into energy when we pass and once we move into the light, become one with the energy that runs through the cosmos.  I mentioned that when we cross over, we develop an immediate awareness of what was right and wrong about how we lived on Earth.

 This week I wanted to talk about what happens "in the light." 

  I will tell you that spirits do have "jobs" on the other side. They often show mediums where they dwell, usually in fields with blue sky above. Is that actually where they live? No. But it's a place of peace that we on Earth can understand and identify with.  

  There are three levels on the other side. Which level you attain depends on how well you learned your lessons on Earth. 

  The first level is the lowest level. Its where people who did not live a good life dwell, atoning for their bad behavior, with full awareness of how they lived on Earth was not well for them or others. People who live with hatred in their hearts, people who commit crimes against others, people who hold grudges, oppress others, do not treat others equally, discriminate, hate all linger here hoping for forgiveness... before they go BACK to Earth to try again. Yes, spirits on the lowest level come back to Earth in human form and go through life again, hoping to learn lessons and get to the second level in the light.  I often joke with my partner that people who cut me off in traffic "are going to be coming back again and again."

  The second level is where many spirits dwell. A place where people who lived decent lives dwell. People who learned lessons in life and treated others well. Souls in this level have the chance to go back to Earth to learn more lessons, but because this is a comfortable place (similar to what people call "Heaven"), they sometimes don't want to leave and return to Earth.

  The third level is one of perfection. There are few souls in this realm. Souls like Jesus and Mohammad.  This is a level where the souls do not return to Earth, as there are no other lessons to learn. 

  The Afterlife Forum explains it simply this way: "Basically, all the levels are in the same place, just at a different level of spiritual vibration. The higher a person's level of spiritual vibration, the higher the level to which he/she belongs. The way that you elevate your spiritual vibration level is by coming to earth to learn lessons in love and forgiveness."

(SOURCE: http://afterlifeforums.com/entry.php/95-What-Are-The-Afterlife-Levels-Like) 

  That author cites 7 levels in the afterlife. Everyone has a different opinion - and there's no clear answer to the number of levels. It is clear, however, that people go to different levels based on the way the lived on Earth.
   The bottom line is that we must all RESPECT each other. We are ALL EQUAL. We all deserve the same rights. The same freedoms. The same joys. To deny someone of something by using your authority, pushing your religious views, or your wealth is Wrong. If you don't believe me, you will learn it when your earthly life is over.

  

Beings of Energy: Ghosts and Spirits

  NGC 6752: a globular cluster of stars, over 10 billion years old. NASA/ESA

In my book, Ghosts and Spirits: Insights from a Medium (by Rob Gutro) I talk about how our souls are basically energy and energy cannot fade, but it can change. When our physical bodies die, the energy in our soul and mind make a decision in death whether to stay on Earth as an Earth-bound ghost, or to move into the light and become a spirit.
 - Once we die we gain an awareness of what was right and wrong in the way in which we lived on Earth. Sometimes, when people die and instantly become aware they really wronged someone, they stick around as an Earth-bound ghost to  try and get forgiveness. Being a ghost is like being trapped in an isolation jail cell and being unable to see your relatives who passed and are in the light.
   - So, how do we gain all that knowledge of right and wrong? How do we become aware of all of the things happening around the world at the same time, or things affecting our friends and family?
  - The answer lies in energy. Just as the universe is composed of matter and energy (and light energy or dark matter), our individual energies merge with that of the cosmos. We instantly gain knowledge of everything in the cosmos when we die because our energy becomes part of that. It's like being plugged in to a socket of knowledge. Energy is all interconnected and that's what happens to our awareness. We instantly know what is good and what is evil. As a spirit, we can see what's happening anywhere around the world and in multiple places at one time. It goes beyond our physical limitations. Think of the magnetic field that surrounds the Earth. If part of your energy merges with that field, your conscience would be able to "see" what is happening anywhere around the globe.
  NEXT WEEK:  The three levels in the light

What is an Orb?

Recently a friend from Florida sent me a photo of an orb that appeared in a photo taken outside his house. What's interesting is that he's had paranormal activity in his house -including footsteps, movement of doors and objects, and he's seen shadow figures. So, I sent the photo to the Inspired Ghost Trackers of Maryland to analyze it.
   That leads me to this week's blog: What is an orb? 
Wikipedia says: Orb (optics), an unexpected, often circular photographic artifact
- I've noticed orbs appear in photos whenever I'm sensing a ghost. Orbs are a simple form of light, and may or may not be the entity.
  There were several instances when orbs have appeared in photos when I sense a ghost nearby. In Riversdale Mansion, Riverdale, Md. I sensed a woman and a little girl in a large room. At the time, one of the members from Inspired Ghost Trackers was taking photos, and in one of them, several orbs appeared in front of a window.
  During a private investigation, I sensed a lot of emotional energy and distress in a furnace room that turned out to be where two women were murdered. In a follow-up investigation days later, an orb appeared with the face of a woman behind it! (It will be in my 2nd book coming later in 2012 called "Lessons Learned from the Dead.").
   So, what do others say about orbs? 

Orbs appear in Riversdale Mansion room when I sensed 2 ghosts.

Dave Juliano of Shadowland.net, a ghost hunter, defines an Orb this way: The orb is the energy being transferred from a source (i.e. powerlines, heat energy, batteries, people, etc) to the spirit so they can manifest.   This may not even be a conscious thing the spirit is doing, just a natural way they get their energy.  This would explain why the orbs are round balls.  According to the laws of Physics energy being transferring like that would assume is natural shape of a sphere.   This theory can also be tied into the EMF readings we get during spirit activity. Source: http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/orbs.htm
   Dave brings up a good point about Camera Processing errors: The digital cameras can't have film-processing errors.  I am aware that some people feel that the orbs on a digital camera are an error in the digital processing of the image.  When that error does occur in digital photos, the objects tend to be square in nature, not round and they cannot be semi-transparent, the pixel behind would have to be corrupted also.   

Check Out Paranormal Underground Magazine's Article

I'm mentioned in an Article about INSPIRED GHOST TRACKERS in this Month's Issue of Paranormal Underground Magazine. I'm honored to belong to INSPIRED GHOST TRACKERS. Check it out, The mag. charges $1.00 for an on-line look at the magazine and it's worth the download. There's a lot of great stuff in the magazine. - Rob Gutro

December 2011 Paranormal Underground Magazine

 http://www.paranormalunderground.net/site/

To order printed copies of this issue of Paranormal Underground, visit http://paranormalund...nd.magcloud.com.
To view Paranormal Underground Magazine's archived issues, visit http://www.paranormalunderground.netcategory/magazine-archive.

Urns, Ashes and Spirit Visitors

People who have urns in their homes with ashes of people or pets may get spiritual visitors, but they 

are NOT ghosts. As I explain in my books "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" and "Ghosts and Spirits," spirits (who have crossed over) of our loved ones can be drawn to their ashes, because their ashes contain a small amount of residual energy.

Ghosts are earth-bound and usually stuck to the places they choose to dwell. Spirits (human or pets) who cross over into the light, can come back to earth and visit their loved ones any time they have something to say. Having their ashes in the house gives the spirits something extra to be drawn to. That doesn't mean you need their ashes to have them visit you. Most people and pets are buried or cremated and spirits only visit their gravesites when a loved one comes to pay their respects. The living person's emotional energy of love gives strength to the spirit to draw them there.

One woman told me that she has ashes of her cat, and sensed that cat several times. My own puppy that passed has come back to me many times, and I have his ashes in the house. Years ago, a roommate had ashes of his mother in the house and she appeared in the house who appeared as a dark shadow in the apartment. 

So, urns containing ashes can be a draw for spirits to come back from time to time and visit but its a minimal draw. They come back because because you love them and they love you. All they need is love. 

But that shouldn't prevent you from burying the ashes. Spirits of loved ones find us because of the love we share for them. That love acts as an invisible tether of energy that enables spirits to come to us anywhere in the world at anytime.

FOR MORE, CHECK OUT MY BOOKS: Pets and the Afterlife, Pets and the Afterlife 2, Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead and Ghosts and Spirits, Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation, and Kindred Spirits: How a Medium Befriended a Spirit.

ABOUT ROB: Rob Gutro is an author, paranormal investigator and medium with Inspired Ghost Tracking of Maryland. Since he was a child he could receive messages from ghosts or spirits (who have crossed over). As a scientist, he also provides some scientific explanations about how energy is the baseline for the afterlife and the medium that entities use to communicate. *NOTE -Rob doesn't do this full time* **

BIOGRAPHY: Rob considers himself an average guy who just happens to be able to communicate with those who passed. He is a medium on IGT, the Inspired Ghost Tracking Team of Hanover, Maryland. By trade he's a meteorologist, so he tries to explain ghosts and spirits with science. He's had the ability since he was a teenager, sketches out ghosts and get names and other information. He lived in a haunted house, too. In 2005, Rob's late puppy passed and inspired Rob to write his first book. Rob participates in private paranormal investigations, helps ghosts cross over, and has provided countless messages from people or pets as ghosts or spirits.

** BEST SELLERS- Rob's books have reached "best-seller" status on Amazon.com in various paranormal categories. All are available in paperback and E-book on Amazon.com 

***DOG RESCUES - Rob has volunteered with with Dachshund and Weimaraner rescues since 2008 and is a pet parent of 4 dogs, 3 Dachshunds and 1 Weimaraner. He also prefers doing fundraising lectures for dog and cat rescues! JUST ASK… Rgutro@gmail.com

Talk/Book Signing: Novel Places Books, Clarksburg, Md. 1/15/12

Novel Places Books. Credit:Caroline Leavittville

If you live near Frederick or Gaithersburg, Maryland - come out on Sunday, January 15 from 1 to 3:30pm for a TALK and BOOK SIGNING: INTRO TO GHOSTS & SPIRITS AND HOW THEY COMMUNICATE

 - In the setting of a former home built in the 1790s, that may have supernatural activity of its own, join me for an introduction to learn the how, what, where and why ghosts and spirits exist, and how and why they communicate to people. If you've lost a dog or a cat, they also have the ability to come back and give messages! You'll learn about a puppy that provided physical, auditory and other signs he was still around.

LOCATION: Novel Places Books, 23341 Frederick Road, Clarksburg, Md.

http://www.novelplacesusa.com/

   I hope to see you there!

Inside Novel Places. Credit: Caroline Leavittville

My book: Ghosts & Spirits; Insights from a Medium