Good Person of the Week: Yolie the Artist Makes SPCA Christmas Cards (how to get them now!)

 If you're looking for a really fun set of holiday cards that will benefit an animal shelter, Look no further! Our friend Yolie Aviles is a super-talented artist and we've known her for many years. She has designed this year's holiday cards for the Annapolis animal shelter managed by the  Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

   Card Set Description:  Featuring delightful designs from Art by Yolie Aviles, these holiday cards are the perfect thing to send to loved ones who you may not be able to see this holiday season!

About Yolie: Yolie is definitely the "Good person of the Week" for many, many reasons. She takes care and loves everyone. She was our neighbor for 10 wonderful years before she moved. She's not only a great artist, but she's a spectacular cook!  We've had many of her homemade meals (and she makes a mean margarita), and enjoyed many get togethers. She also made us a personal holiday card (that had Tyler, Franklin and Dolly on it), and several other pieces.

A set of cards is $15.00 and comes with 10 cards- 2 of each design. 

TO ORDER GO TO: https://tinyurl.com/y57zu5bc 

Sales benefit the SPCA, so your purchase helps us care for our homeless animals.

Available for delivery or pickup! Pick up locations are Paws at the Mall (located in Westfield Annapolis Mall near Pottery Barn) or the SPCA of Anne Arundel County (1815 Bay Ridge Ave, Annapolis MD).

You can also go to the long-form URL to order:  https://spca-of-anne-arundel-county.square.site/product/spca-christmas-cards/1079?cs=true&fbclid=IwAR0G02y8yo9TqSnPrbhsQE1nHT-E-nBWi3bd7yqQQOfsNYHsw1QDqhDHiRQ

Negative Energy Week: The Smudging Ceremony to Remove Bad Energy with Sage Smoke

It's Negative energy week, and in today's blog you'll learn about the art of smudging to clear that energy. 

The following was provided to me by Kathy Schueler - about how to smudge and rid your home of bad energy: 

THE SMUDGING CEREMONY: REMOVE BAD ENERGY WITH SAGE SMOKE

Some of you want to know how to perform a cleansing ceremony with the use of burning sage, also known as "smudging".

A smudge stick is a dried and bundled plant. One can also use loose leaves in smudging, but before we get to the particulars of such a ceremony it will help to have an understanding of the origins of this sacred practice and how it will cleanse, heal, and consecrate an energy field, or thing, or space.

The Origins and History of Smudging:

People commonly credit smudging as being a Native American practice, but the use of rising smoke in spiritual rituals has been practiced across many cultures for thousands of years. The ancient Hindu texts reveal this was practiced 6,000 years ago with the burning of incense. Smoke purification was performed in Egypt, with the burning of aromatic resins for religious ceremonies. It was practiced in Babylonia, Greece, Rome, Japan, Tibet, China, among the ancient Hebrews, and among indigenous tribal cultures around the world, with the native tribes of North America being only a portion. Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, which are an amalgam of pagan beliefs and practices, use incense in religious ceremonies, adapted from the pagan rituals popular when the Christian theocracy was legalized by the pagan-turned-Christian, Roman Emperor Constantine, in 325 AD.

So the use of smoke to purify in a spiritual way is not exclusive to the Native American tradition, although we have them to thank for the wonderful and deeply spiritual practice of burning sage and other sacred plants as a purification practice. This tradition is a very beautiful gift and the most effective method commonly used in spiritual cleansing ceremonies today.

How it Works to Cleanse and Purify:

Smudging is an intrinsic part of shamanism, the world’s oldest medicine. Shamans recognize that every form of life on this planet has a spiritual purpose and a sacred consciousness. They know that plants have invaluable healing properties. Human animals, as it turns out, are not the top rung of creation’s ladder even though we think we are because we have big brains and walk on two feet. All beings, whether plant, animal, or mineral are divine and have sacred right to life; all have something to offer to the manifest “other.”

To approach a smudging ritual and to be effective in cleansing away negative energy, one must be reverent of the plant being used and even the energies being cleansed. All energy is divine at its core, whether Light or Dark. Respect for all life is essential to any smudging that you undertake. If you cannot feel reverent about this sacred practice, don’t do it. Find someone who is spiritually qualified and energetically prepared to do it for you.

Although many different plants can be used for smudging, indigenous American tribes consider four plants to be especially sacred: sage, sweetgrass, tobacco, and cedar. Each plant is considered to have a special function and this can vary by tribe and tradition. While sage is used for purification, sweetgrass is used to bring in positive energies, and its smoke is considered to carry prayers to the Creator.

When to Use Smudge:

-If you are feeling down, negative, stuck, or in a spiritual low place, smudging is an excellent way to change things for the better.
-When your house, your property, or any place or space has been exposed to heavy and negative energies, or painful experiences and even illness, they should be cleansed with smudge.
-When you move into a new location, it should be smudged to cleanse the psychic imprints of previous occupants.
-If you feel the presence of bad energy in your living quarters, or if a solitary room makes you feel bad or uneasy by being in there, it’s time to smudge.
-If you want to create a protective barrier against outside negative influences, such as neighborhood issues, it’s time to smudge.
-If you want to make your prayers stronger and if you want to feel more connected to Spirit, it’s time to smudge.
-If your vehicle has been in a fender-bender or you’ve had a close call in your car, smudge it, inside and out, to remove negative energetic imprints that can attract more negative experiences.
-Cleanse second-hand items with smudge to remove psychic imprints of previous owners.
-You can consecrate and energetically charge your garden by smudging.
-You should smudge to clean yourself and your space before engaging in any psychic contact or spiritual ceremony.
-You can smudge anytime just to connect to a state of spiritual clarity and harmony! Remember, you “clear the air” in your life with the help of sacred smoke!

Sacred sage and other wonderful herbs are Earth Mother’s gift, and once you understand how important a tool they are in your own spiritual welfare you will never be without a supply on hand. They are a fundamental part of your spiritual first-aid kit, given by Creation to heal wounds upon the Soul.

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Negative Energy Week: Advice on Clearing from The Beantown Medium: Ruthie Larkin

Since this is Negative Energy Week, I contacted my friend and experienced medium Ruthie Larkin, known as the Beantown Medium to get some additional tips from her about dispelling negative energy. 

Ruthie said:   I would also purchase a few Himalayan Salt Lamps that you can pick up at a Home Goods store for $20 - $30 each. Leave them on and place them around your home where your family usually spends the most time. 

(Photo right: Rob Gutro and Ruthie Larkin at a Pet Expo) 

I would also put a few sprinkles of Himalayan Salt between all your windows and the screens to keep negative energy from entering your home. 

If you live in a house you can also surround your home with a thin line of corn meal. This is a North American Indian way to smudge and is very powerful. 

All members of the family currently living and regularly visiting your home need to be assessed by a Psychic Medium while in your home and then your entire home needs to be cleared. There are also many Shamans who could perform this cleansing for you…be sure to get referrals.

Ruthie does comprehensive medium readings, and can be found at www.beantownmedium.com 

SOLUTIONS FROM OTHER WEBSITES: 

http://pranichealing.com/

http://www.holistichealthmalta.com/

http://amybscher.com/

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Negative Energy Week: How to Clear Your House of Ghosts and Negative Energy

This is Negative Energy Week, because it plays a big part in the paranormal. In today's blog, you'll read about my suggestions on how to dispel residual negative energy from your home and bring a return to a peaceful environment. 

I received an email about some serious issues occurring in a home where there appears to be an Earth-bound ghost. As I discuss in my books "Ghosts and Spirits" and "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" if you have an Earthbound ghost in your home they emanate negative emotional energy- causing the living to argue, have anxiety, fear, depression, and impatience. That in turn energizes a ghost, so it's a vicious cycle that needs to be broken by crossing the ghost over.   Since many people have this issue so I thought I would share the advice on how to clear your home. - Rob 

How to Clear Your House of Ghosts and Negative Energy

What I would suggest is the following:

1) Invite a LOT of light in the home

2) paint dark rooms white or bright colors

3) light white candles to invite light and positive energy

4) play soft instrumental music (you can find a relaxation channel on pandora.com for free)

5) TOSS out any objects that you think may have negative energy

6) Clean the house and remove clutter. clutter invites negativity

7) Tell the entities that this is YOUR HOME.  They do NOT belong there and are not welcome. They should cross into the light to be with their loved ones, they do not belong here.  - You can send them to a funeral home or hospital nearby

8) At night, picture yourself and your family surrounded by white light of protection. 

9) Bring in a paranormal team with mediums who can help clear your house.

10) Get sage and either light it to emit smoke, or get it in a spray and spray it in every room. 

 

PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP: 

If you're located in the Maryland/DC area, Inspired Ghost Tracking can help. Email: Inspiredghst@aol.com 

If you're in Virginia, Medium Barb Mallon can assist (www.barbmallon.com). 

If you're in Massachusetts or Rhode Island, Ruthie Larkin (www.beantownmedium.com) can assist.

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Negative Energy Week: How to Dispel Negative Energy or a Ghostly Attachment

 This is Negative Energy Week. In today's blog, you'll learn how to dispel negative

energy.

If you feel drained a lot, feel depressed, angry, or feel negative energy around you, there are steps you can take to dispel it. Whether it be a ghost in your house, a ghost who has attached him or herself to you, or negative energy that you absorbed. Here's how to get rid of it: It would be beneficial to start doing things to invite light, positive energy and optimism into your life to dispel it. The attachment seems drawn to the negativity like a magnet.

   BRIGHTEN UP! - I would suggest that you brighten your living environment, remove negative people from your life, play quieter, calming music, sage your house and bring in more light.

  LOOK AT LITTLE THINGS TO FIND GOOD - Focus on small things that make you happy- even a good cup of coffee or an easy traffic day.
  The positive change will repel the negative energy. Negative energy depresses people can be changed by focusing on good things, even small, good things.

  MEDITATE -   You should meditate, have all the lights on around, candles to invite more light, soft music (instrumental), and tell the energy to leave your body.

AN EXERCISE TO RID THE ENERGY FROM YOUR HOME -
    Picture the energy wrapping up into a tornado-like vortex, and then imagine it spinning out of the house through a window. Then imagine the window and all the windows of your house being sealed with light as a barrier. He can also protect yourself  further by picturing that white light around him as a "suit of armor

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Negative Energy Week: Negative Energy and a Ghost in Your House

 Continuing this week's series on negative energy, I'll explain what negative energy does, and why having a ghost in your house does to you in terms of that energy.

WHAT IS NEGATIVE ENERGY?  It's an energy given off that makes people feel bad feelings- anger, depression, irritation.

WHAT DOES NEGATIVE ENERGY DO?   For some reason, it also powers Earth bound ghosts. Earth bound ghosts (no matter their personality -happy, angry, sad, etc.) tend to radiate negative energy where they "reside." So, if people have a ghost in their home, they tend to get those negative feelings more. I've been on a number of ghost investigations where people who have an Earth bound ghost in their home have reported being more short-tempered, impatient, angered or depressed.

  AN ETERNAL CYCLE -   By expressing those bad behaviors and emotions, you're actually emitting negative energy and "feeding" a ghost to strengthen. It becomes a vicious cycle where having a ghost in the home generates negative emotions in the living, and the living people have negative emotions that continue to power the ghost in the home.
   That's why it's important to cross a ghost over from your home even if they have benign, or "good" personalities. That's not saying they will cross over, because some refuse. (Historic homes are known to have ghosts in them who love their old homestead and never want to leave).
   Conversely, positive emotional energy, such as love, faith and hope empower spirits (who have crossed over).

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Negative Energy Week: A Dirty vs. Clean House = Negative vs. Positive Energy (and spirit-wise, too)

I have taken part in many paranormal investigations in  private homes. It's important to know that your environment can influence and create energies around you. It can also affect the living. If your house is messy, it's a beacon for negative energy - both residual energy and an attraction for earth bound ghosts (who may be nearby). In today's blog, I'll explain about energy and order.

In one instance a home's inhabitant was complaining of dark shadows and bad feelings. It turned out that there was a lot of negative energy inside the house because of people practicing black arts and the house was filthy.

  HOW DOES A DIRTY HOME ENHANCE NEGATIVITY AND SUPPORT GHOSTLY ENERGY? - 
   Whenever anything is in disarray, dirty or disorganized, negative entities can feed off of it, and become empowered. Negative energies, like ghosts or even dark entities (non-human) can draw energy from the feelings of stress created by disorganization and filth. 

   We entered a house with black mold in the basement (which can make people physically ill, trigger respiratory problems and in some cases lead to death), and garbage piled up throughout the home. The home even smelled so bad that I had an asthma attack!

Dirty houses and disarray feed negativity

  The residents who lived there also had animals, and dogs and cats have much more sensitivity of smell - and it was extremely painful to them (I could tell). In fact, it appeared the poor dogs hadn't been bathed in over a year. The filth and neglect was disgusting and harmful to all - mentally, physically and spiritually. 
  It turned out that there were 2 dark entities in the home and they were feeding off the filth and disarray. So I recommended a thorough cleaning, repainting the walls (which were drawn on with crayon and pen), playing soft music to invite positive energy, opening shades (which were closed) and lighting white candles  - both to bring in light, and throwing out almost everything they could. 
BOTTOM LINE - 
  Negative energy, ghosts and dark entities will fester and strengthen in dirty, unorganized environments!!!  
HOW TO TURN NEGATIVE TO A POSITIVE - 

Clean houses dispel negative energy

  So, pick up and throw out papers, trash, things you haven't used in a year - organize it. Bathe yourself and your animals daily and weekly. Take out the trash. Bring light into your home - Make it a positive energy-filled place where no dark things would want to linger, and you'll be inviting good spirits of people who passed to watch over you, and even beings of light and love. 

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Negative Energy Week: Nov. 29-Dec. 5: Understanding, Coping and Cleansing

 As a paranormal investigator and medium, I've encountered a lot of negative energy. In the paranormal field paranormal energy can be residual or an intelligent haunt. In this week's SERIES of blogs, I'll cover different aspects of Negative Energy encountered in the paranormal field.

Residual energy is created by emotions of living people or animals. If the living being expressed angry, disappointment, anxiety, irritation, depression or fear in a building, those emotions will be impressed upon the walls of the room or throughout the entire structure. 

When a living person enters that structure or room, the walls emanate that negative emotional energy and if the living person is sensitive, they feel it. The negative energy can make them angry, disappointed, anxious, irritated, depressed or even fearful.  

Intelligent negative energy is basically a ghost with a bad attitude. Spirits who cross over, usually heal on the other side in the light, but earthbound ghosts maintain the very bad parts of their personality. For example, those would be people who were violent, killers, rapists, thieves, and mentally unstable. As such, if there is a ghost with a bad attitude in your home or wherever you go, they will emanate that negative energy and you'll be physically or mentally affected. That's why if you have a ghost in your home, you need to help cross them over. 

**************************

For more information, check out my books on Amazon.com - all best-sellers and all under $10. Particularly "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" which is a question and answer-type book to all things paranormal that I've encountered.

Explaining a "Mist" from Spreading Ashes

Paranormal investigators like me first must try to debunk situations before we can actually deem them "paranormal." In today's blog you'll read about something that was thought could be paranormal and my three possible explanations. 

QUESTION:  When my Aunt spread my grandfather ashes, 3 minutes later I notice white smoke coming from the ground that was a foot away from the spreading of the ashes...... Could that have be his spirit??? 

ROB'S ANSWER:  It could be a number of things. 

1) moisture on the ground scattered as a result of dropping something on it 

2) dust stirred up from dropping something on it. 

3) It could be "fog" or "mist." Steam and water vapor describe the completely transparent gaseous form of water, whereas fog or mist is little droplets of liquid water suspended in the air. 

4) OR it could have been your grandfather's spirit coming back to visit to thank her for scattering his ashes as he requested. A medium would be needed to verify this, or you should have felt your grandfather's presence around. Those would help to clarify if the smoke was a natural or supernatural occurrence.

For More Paranormal Questions and answers, read "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" by Rob Gutro. Available on Amazon.com

2020: At Thanksgiving Those Who Passed Still Sit at the Table

This Thanksgiving will be emotionally challenging for many of us who are staying home and taking precautions to avoid contracting or spreading the COVID19 virus during this pandemic. As such, it can be a more sad time, but it need not be! In today's blog you'll learn about spirits around you. For those who haven't passed, call them on the phone (not just texting), or do a video chat on Facebook messenger, Google hangouts or Facetime. You need not be sitting physically next to someone to enjoy their company - Spirits tell us that every day! 

Thanksgiving is not only a big holiday for the living relatives in families, but it also tends to be one of those times when those who passed come to visit, too. Any holiday, special occasion, birthday or anniversary are typically times that spirits of loved ones (who crossed into the light) come to visit us.

Why do they come on Thanksgiving? Think about it. Spirits are just the souls of loved ones (friends, family or pets) who have passed. Like living people and pets, they enjoy gathering with family members and what better time to see everyone together than at Thanksgiving? So, this Thanksgiving, if you've lost a loved one, be on the lookout for signs. Whether you find a penny on the kitchen floor, or your electricity does funny things, or you hear a song on the radio that reminds you of your loved one- those are just some signs they can give.

One Thanksgiving some years ago, my friend Lynn's late brother came to me with signs that she was able to confirm. So, enjoy the day knowing that ALL of your relatives are around you. Happy Thanksgiving! Rob

You can find more information about the signs spirits can give in my books  Kindred Spirits, Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead, Ghosts and Spirits, and Pets and the Afterlife 1 and 2.  (Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation doesn't address ghosts on holidays).