Ghosts
Paranormal Phenomena
What a joke of a term. Obviously devised
by peoples who have no idea of what
they are dealing with.
First it might be useful for us to
present the fact that what we are talking of
here is/are not some fantasy, or invented
story to excite or thrill one. Far
from it. As one renown Ghost buster once
told me, "Actually we are all ghosts"
the only difference being that we have a
gross body made of mucus, bile and air,
and disembodied spirits have only
subtle-ethereal a body made of mind,
intelligence and false-ego.
Atheists accept only what they can
register with their senses or the instruments
created by their blunt materialistic
senses. What they cannot see they do not
accept.
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
on a Morning walk in Bombay, India,
April 12th 1974 had the following
conversation with one Indian man.
Srila Prabhupada. "........And you
have not seen so many things. Does it mean
that does not exist? You are
researching. You have not seen. As a
scientist.........."
Indian man. "I have heard lots of
ghost stories, but......."
Srila Prabhupada. "No, No it is not
stories. We are hearing from Bhagavata, it
is authority. We are not hearing the
stories of third class man. We are hearing
form Vyasadeva.
Vyasadeva............"
Indian man. " But you see, up till
now, in my long life of eighty
years........."
Srila Prabhupada, "No, No you have
not so many experiences. That does not mean
these things do not exist. Your
experience is not all in all. Don't think like
that. So these are existing actually.
That is the defect, that you do not accept
the authorities. That is the defect.
Here Vyasadeva is describing, who is called
Vyasadeva, full of all knowledge, and
the Bhagavata is a mature experience. We
are hearing from him. Why do you not
believe? I may not have experience. This
ghost means the living entity is subtle
life without any material body. That is
ghost. When one is very sinful, he does
not get the material body. He lives in
the
subtle body: mind, intelligence and ego. That is ghostly life. And they
display. Because they have no body, one
cannot see, but they display so many
mischief's. That is ghostly life. Seeing
or not seeing doesn't matter. Therefore
it is enjoined in the Vedanta Sutra,
shastra caksusa (see through the bona fide
scriptures)."
Indian man. "But it should be
proved."
Srila Prabhupada. "It is true
because it is spoken by Vyasadeva. How you say it
is false? You cannot say that. That is
blasphemy."
Indian man. "In olden days there
used to be the ghosts and all these things, but
now that is gradually............"
Srila Prabhupada. "But
gradually..........! That does not mean you have improved
very much. Because you do not believe in
ghost........................!"
We have seen that such mysteries are
explained in the Vedic literatures if one
takes time to research. For example
there are many mentions of ghosts in the
scriptures, i.e., in the Srimad
Bhagavatam in connection with Daksha, as
followers of Lord Shiva.............
etc., in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta in
connection with Chotta Hari das. The
Bhagavad Gita states that those who worship
ghosts go to them, Srila Prabhupada
Lilamrta mentions in connection with Srila
Prabhupada staying at John Lennon's
house and the ghost that was removed by
Srila Prabhupad. Sripad Ramanujacarya's
former wife at one time was possessed by
one, until Ramanuja relieved her of that
burden. Sripad Madhwacarya parents and
party were attacked by a Brahma Raksasa
ghost as they carried the small baby boy
Vasudev (Madhwacarya) returning from the
Anantasana Temple a week after Madhwas'
birth. The follower of Sripad
Madhwacarya, Sripad Vadiraj Tirtha Swami had, as
his servant, shishya, one very powerful
ghost named Bhutaraj, who used to help
him to defeat mayavadis, and other
heretics who tried to attack him. In the life
of Sri Raghavendra Tirtha Swami it
mentions how his former wife became a ghost
after terminating her own body out of
separation, when he took sannyasam. He
then liberated her from that situation
with the water from his kumandalu, so do
not worry for her. Sri Vayu Purana
briefly mentions ghosts, as do other Puranas,
but Garuda Purana dedicates four
chapters to them, what is their cause, their
description, problems arising from them,
and their release. So I would like to
say without fear of contradiction, that
according to shastra, and in my humble
opinion there is such a designation, as
ghost (which is to be avoided by all
sane persons).
So what is it that causes one to inhabit
such a ghostly form, instead of a gross
body like ours. The answer is untimely
death. Untimely death means that it was
either premature; such as an accident,
disease, suicide, etc. Something that
interfered with the normal expanse of a
person's life.
One may rightly argue that surely that
interruptions would have been because of
that soul's karma, so in one sense it is
not untimely, it is their just
deserves. That is true, but at the same
time, when a suffering conditioned soul
is unprepared for this kind of death,
such lack of knowledge about what is going
on is very untimely.
Such an untimely death causes for the
individual who is attached to their body,
family, situation around them great
lamentation due to attachments. They're
suddenly in a strange and unfamiliar
situation, surrounded by other more
established ghosts/spirits who have some
idea, maybe not about self realisation,
but about what is needed to get them out
of their present bondage. Of course
there are others who are so absorbed in
their sufferings and plight that they
are traumertised in the past.
The Nature of the Soul - Jiva-atman:
Near Death Experience:
The reasons that one becomes a Ghost,
and how ghosts interact with their
relatives:
* Cemeteries - The age of the cemetery
doesn't matter but the older it is, the
more time it has had to
accumulate restless spirits. Why
cemeteries? Well there are theories such
as they are portals to the
other side or that some spirits are drawn to their former bodies.
*
Schools - Schools and former sites of schools may have the build up of
psychic energies and imprints of
all the highly emotional events that have transpired there.
*
Theatres - The actors have run the gambit of human emotions inside the walls
of a theatre plus many
have interesting hauntings attached to them.
*
Battlefields - These are great locations simply because of their nature.
Many violent deaths in one area
will always hold some spirits and psychic energy there.
*
Churches - There is a long history of the faithful returning to the church
they worshipped at. They
may be looking for the salvation they were promised and cannot find.
*
Hotels/Motels/Boarding houses - Many dark dealing and highly emotional events
take places in these
rooms.
*
Historic Locations - Many historic buildings, because of their age, have had
more time to have spirits
attach to it.
These buildings are often open the public and can give you a
easy place to start. Many even
have known histories of hauntings and you may
be able to gain access to the
building after hours after
speaking with the caretakers.
Many experienced groups believe that
there are evil spirits in many areas such
as cemeteries and by saying a 10 second
prayer you can safely go about your
business without worrying about
them. An experienced demonologist will
tell you
that by doing this in the name of God or
whatever good deity you worship, you
will keep any non human spirits at bay
since they have to leave you alone when
told so in this manner. You will not provoke an attack by doing this
and I say
it's just as simple as saying your
prayers at night. Just in case you're
feeling adventurous:
There are so many different kinds of ghosts,
although they are all disembodied
jivas, spirit souls really like you and me.
Some of these different kinds some of
you will have experienced, some
consciously, and some unconsciously. The
different kinds are brought about by
the different ways "they met their
end", and the consciousness that they
achieved at that time.
According to the Vedic shastra there are
many, many different types. Just as
there are many kinds of gross body so
the various developments of the subtle
body are also there. There are powerful
Brahma raksasas, or angry brahmins with
fearful eyes, or tantrics who may have
died due to their own or another's
misdeeds. Garuda Puranam chapter 11.
texts 4 and 5, says that by kidnapping
another man's wife and stealing the
property of a brahmana one also becomes a
brahma raksasa, and thus have come to
some unfortunate end.
There are Pramathas who are not harmful, but others like Vetaalas who
like
to haunt cemeteries, and who animate
dead bodies (Zombies), they create an
atmosphere of fear wherever they go.
There are Shakini and Dhakini witches with
shrill voices (like the Banshee) who
abuse and curse people, there are also
attached house-hold Preetas who give
their relatives hard times, dancing on the
roof tops, playing games with them and
frightening them because they never
received their offerings of Vishnu
prasadam after death. What to speak of
Guyaksas; how many of us have
experienced things disappearing from our homes,
offices etc., only to turn up later
somewhere else, or even in the same place
where we looked several times. Well this
is the business of the Guyaksas.
Previously they were thieves, and even
now without a gross body still they
cannot give up their old habits, they
just have to have things. But where can
they put things, not in their subtle
pockets, so they hide things. There are the
wandering Bhutas who are with no
residence least you give them one, or Durmanas
dejected souls who moan and weep at
night. Vinayakah hobgoblins, Mulon,
Yutadhanis, Malanaya etc., etc., some
are brahmins, some kshatriyas, some
vaishyas, some shudras, and some who are
from outside the scheduled varnas, so
many, and they each have their different
effects and influence on different
people. There is even one especially
found to prey on women, and which causes
miscarriages in many. It has it's head
tucked down into its body, and is known
for its abnormally long (nearly two
feet) and thick penis which causes harm to
women of pregnant disposition. Krsna
book chapter 84 says that "Instead of being
devotees, they are simply impediments on
the path of devotion."
How many have experienced what in
medieval England and Europe they called "Hag
attacks"? A common night time
phenomena for those especially who lie on their
backs when sleeping. The "Hag"
comes and tries to enter the body via the mouth,
the victim usually experiences some
dream where one is being enticed or
threatened, and then sitting upon one's
chest the Hag tries to enter. In most
cases the victim experiences paralysis
of the entire body, while an inner
struggle goes on for the possession of
the body. Those who are fortunate enough
to have been trained in chanting Hare
Krishna in times of trouble, that pure and
saving name by the mercy of the Lord,
comes to mind. It's like that, at first
after realising we are in trouble,
paralysed and possessed we try to chant, but
often nothing comes out, but in the mind
the mantra resounds until it burst
forth from the mouth and the ghostly hag
is thrown off.
Most people would have experienced something of this nature at some time
of
their lives, although we have
experienced that some people are just too dull and
insensitive to experience anything.
You will I'm sure find, as we have that
some people will not accept that there
is such a thing as a ghost. We would
like to ask a question in this regard, one
that surely they will not answer.
Are they purposefully blocking it out, or can they not clearly perceive
it
from where they are at present situated.
In some cases it maybe that Bhutas are
saying that they do not exist as is
suggested in the Garuda Purana chapter 20:
31 and 32., wherein it says that,
"When one loses faith in the Vedas, Smritis,
Puranas, and Dharma shastras, or abuses
the devas, brahmins, gurus, either in
their presence or absence that
aberration is due to the influence of preet, or
ghosts." Garuda Puranam chapter 8.,
texts 90 and 91 qualifies this further with
the statement as recorded, spoken by the
ghosts, "We stay where people do not
follow the Vedas, where there is no
feeling of shame or falsehood, no faith in
religion, no sense of discipline, no
inclination for forgiveness, no patience
and no knowledge."
According to where one is at they can
make a nice presentation........ and if
one is weak, or sinfully inclined then a
bargain can be orchestrated by which
the embodied and disembodied jivas make
a deal to enjoy co-operatively -
actually the ghost is enjoying and the
lusty embodied fool is tricked into
thinking he's enjoying too. I used to
have a friend who did like this - he would
allow one ghost that resided at his
house to come to have sex with him at night,
in this way both got their lusty
material desires fulfilled. However, when my
friend wanted to stop this, he couldn't
and the last I saw he was admitted into
an institution.
It's not just the weak or dirty that get propositioned either. Srila
Prabhupada cites an instance when he
stayed at John Lennon's house, "I was a
guest there. There was a ghost.....................
binding to the maya, to just
remain a slave of maya and drink this
beer." Morning walk June 20th 1974
Germany. Needless to say Srila Prabhupad
did not give in to such an invitation.
There is a psychosomatic disease
mentioned in the Ayurveda called Bhuta Graha
which is resemblent of this kind of
mutual gratification, especially by the
unmarried young women-folk, and
brahmacharis who are not fixed in their vow.
According to Ayurvedic Medicine there are eight different departments
set up
by the founders of that great science,
Lord Dhanvantari, Prajapati Brahma,
Prajapati Daksa, the Aswini Kumaras,
Shushruta Muni, Maharaj Nimi (who issued
the Nimi Tantra), which all try to deal
with the various diseases, accidents,
ageing developments, problems and
occurrences in the body. These eight
departments are Kay chikisa, dealing
with the anatomy; Bala roga vigvagha, bala
means children, the paediatric
department, gynaecology, osticology; (Bhuta)
Graha vigvagha, deals with the subtle
realm, mental disturbances, one's
thinking, psychosomatic diseases and
epilepsy, as well as yosha pasmara, a kind
of epilepsy found in women. Graha
vigvagha also includes bacteriology which
falls into the category of the unseen;
Urdvanga, Shalakya Tantra spoken by Nimi,
Urdvanga means the upper part of the
body, head and neck, E.N.T. (Ear, Nose,
Throat) and Eye; Shalya, means surgery,
even "plastic surgery" grafting etc.,
spoken by Shushruta more than 2000 years
ago; Damshtra, is the science of
recovering a person from the effects of
poisons either swallowed, or snake bite,
spider...........etc., came via teeth,
damstra means teeth, (yours or someone
else's); Jara, deals with old age,
geriatrics etc; and Vishayi, rejuvenation,
convalescence etc.
Of all of these eight departments of
Vedic Medicine seven have come to be
widespread throughout the world but
there is one, bhuta or graha vigvagha, which
the modern, western systems of medicine
have yet to understand. There has been
much propaganda by the missionary media
over the past century that has managed
to influence almost everyone in the Sub
Continent of India, and across the world
for that matter, so much so that we find many Vedic things
have been either
forgotten, shelved, or corrupted by
these modern philosophies. Instead of
following the ancient sages, who's
teachings were previously all over the world.
Half baked theories these days appear,
are taught even in schools and
universities, and again disappear or
change as new theories pop up, year, after
year, after year. Unfortunately it has
become unpopular with the modern sensual
world around us to accept the ageless
scriptures of India, but there is much to
be learned. If one takes the time to
look, with open eyes and mind you'll see
that the many so called new age remedies
that are now "evolving" are actually
parts of the ancient sciences of india
in a revised manner. Some examples of
this are Naturopathy, and the limbs of
that like Aroma therapy, Colour therapy,
Massage, Acupressure, Vegetarianism,
etc. There is also Permaculture and the
Organics movement, varieties of
Meditation, Hatha, Mantra, Bhakti etc. Even in
the rules for Architecture builders are
now becoming more aware of the
environment, especially electro magnetic
fields, directions of buildings, using
the sun more for heating and lighting,
or even making buildings more of
sustainable materials such as mud brick,
all of which have been used in India
for many thousands of years.
We see the teachings of Vedic ways, in which
we can state all cultures have
their origins, have in many cases become
mixed, corrupted or should we more to
the point say, that these pure
philosophies of yore have been given up. Now what
we have is a world that has become
dominated by political language, made up of
various terms that spark off a chain of
emotional reactions of either defence,
or delight. These are brought about, and
executed by conditioning the masses
through propaganda and advertising over
many years. Expressions such as alien,
cult, ethnic, non-conformist,
alternative groups, sectarian, etc. As well as the
old favourites, pagan, heathen,
anti-Semitic, evil, strange new.........., or
even devils, there were many such
powerful words, adjectives which did, and
still do conjure up negative pictures in
the mind. The job was expertly done
with large private concerns, as well as
both local and world governmental,
financial and administrative backing,
and in some cases church authorisation,
and even supported by the armed forces.
The way the whole planet has been
brainwashed is the subject of another
paper, but still it partially has its
place here too. We have experienced that
things that may appear a little unusual
or different, or should I more directly
say, that don't fit in to the plan of
the persons who are manipulating the
people in the world at present, the "New
World Order" as they like to be
known, have over the past century carefully
edited out of circulation, what they
didn't find appropriate. So that now a days
most people do not accept the Vedic
literatures, rather everyone is very willing
to follow the material scientists or the
news media propaganda. If they do hear
anything in this view they have already
been briefed that this tribal hodge
podge is only at best 2000 years old
there was no civilisation before that. Yet
even today in readers digest they have
published something to the contrary
stating that cloth was woven by ancient
civilisations around 9000 years ago.
Previously to public pressure due to
total disbelief, things are beginning to
change many aspect of the truth that
just weren't heard of before outside of
secret meetings, are emerging. The lies
and cheating of the modern scientist's
bluff is being called. I think we can
safely say that under this same umbrella,
the British Raj "perfected"
the spread of false propaganda, and "perfected" the
tactic of divide and rule during their
time in India. Now everything one is
taught or hears from "the
authorities" has its limitations of political
censorship. Consequently we have lost
many genuine sciences, which are now
brushed off as either superstitions or
mythology, by those who either cannot or
will not see what is the truth.
This is the way that these persons view,
and deal with anything that they cannot
directly perceive through their rather
blunt senses. Everything from their
perspective falls into a few narrow
negative categories as we have touched on
earlier, cult, mythology, legendary
stories etc. Due to the acceptance of the
material scientists being
"Gods", and their philosophies now being worshipped,
the world is in illusion. These
temporary material measures that have been taken
by these persons to cover the truth,
over the next few decades we will see that
in actual fact those things that are not
Vedic sciences will be proven in the
long run to be puspakash, flowers that
fly in the sky, or in other words
fantasy. As the people of the world
embrace their search for REALITY, and
genuine answers to material problems.
We mentioned earlier the term Yosha pasmara
in the connection of bhuta
graha, actually it is described as a
form of epilepsy that is found in young
unmarried women or girls. Though it is
not epilepsy proper, it is more a
psychosomatic problem. As with others
who are affected by bhutas they also have
many desires yet to be fulfilled. Deep
inside there is the desire for a husband,
children and the security that women
need, to function properly. Yet due to the
pressures of society, especially family,
plus the changes that are going on in
their bodies, the development from girls
to physically mature women, anxiety
builds up and as a pressure valve or
release valve such things as mood changes,
doing things for attention, pretending
to be raped or abused, inventing friends,
other eccentric behaviour, or
depression, argumentation, disturbed sleep,
breathing problems, "fits or
epilepsy", bolemia, anorexia, and even seeming semi
conscious fainting occur. Sigmund Freud
said that this kind of repression of the
impulses results in he says paranoid. We
have seen this even occurring in
Iskcon. And it's due to suppressing the
natural desires instead of understanding
what they are and dealing with them
accordingly. Visaya vinvartante niraharasya
dehinah.......Bhagavad Gita 2:59., one
cannot merely suppress desires, rather
one must gain a higher taste through
training or education as to what is what.
In less morally oriented or lower class
girls, who are less concerned with what
society or the family thinks of them,
they take to flirting with young boys, and
even indulge in and search for gross
sex, and it takes place. But in more
prestigious families, we have studied,
things would be different. If the girls
at the same time as maintaining their
external moral show, are lusty within then
complexities of bhuta graha often take
place. I have seen many incidences,
symptoms of bhuta graha where a constant
battle for even keel goes on for years,
because they just won't give up the
pursuit for sense gratification, or be
totally honest. In others we have seen
this syndrome drive deep into the
emotions making girls stop having
periods, or having fainting spells, or there
are times when the build up is too much
and they just "go ape." In others who
have tried to live a cloistered life, we
have seen it take them away from
devotional service to fulfil their
separate interests of lusty desires, which
take many forms. It may take the shape
of gross sex, or even to travel here and
there with the view to finding a mate,
even the accumulation of material goods,
anything from a new Rolex watch, to fast
cars, fine clothing, mobile phone, big
houses, jet setting jobs, anything to
try to draw attention to themselves. It
has been observed that as one's years
increase it becomes more subtle, though
not in every case, to the extreme point
that the mid-life crisis, dirty old man,
or feme fatal syndromes have been seen
to develop as a result.
There are always opportunists who will
take advantage of a situation for their
own enjoyment. In the same way there are
always ghosts around in the day and in
the night, and especially at the
conjunctions of both, if they find a good
candidate to enjoy through they will try
to make the necessary arrangements for
their desires and the girls (or boys) to
be fulfilled. Bhutas who are of the
subtle realm, having bodies made of
intelligence, mind and false ego, sense the
lusty desires that have been hidden
below the surface, that have not
actually
been kicked out or replaced. Thus it is
seen that there is a dichotomy in the
victim, externally everything looks very
good but under the surface lusty
desires are being played with. In actual
fact they are their own victims.
Sometimes parents of girls have come to
me to remove ghosts from them. I sit in
the company of another older devotee
woman and ask them what is their trouble.
Ninety nine percent tell of the same
things, the same kind of voices, even some
have seen the same kind of ghosts. The
girls tell of incredible stories of
persons touching them, trying to rape
them, and threatening them that if they
don't go along with it, they will also
become ghosts. Some have constantly been
threatened that they would make them go
crazy, or would never leave them alone
if they didn't succumb to their will.
Really its just a case of intimidation or
subtle rape. These days the medical
profession put a tab on it, call it Multiple
Personality Disorder (MPD), feed the
victim drugs send them to a psychiatric
hospital, try to suppress part of the
brain they say cause it, and hope that the
problem will eventually go away. But
usually it doesn't. And so medication goes
on year after year. Occasionally the
penny does drop in a patient that maybe
it's a lifestyle thing, but often they
are too far gone by then, and too
internally confused about who and what
they are to change, but occasionally
someone will come good. But the longer
it stays the harder it is to go, and the
patient to be all right even if they get
their goal fulfilled.
In the name of dignity or fashion, both
sexes have been exploited to the full.
Men tend to go for the macho role model,
while the women the seductress, and
they don't even realise how they are
being led. But one may well ask then, why
do you girls dress so seductively if you
do not want some one to become
attracted in that way. It is not for
your husband, you are not yet married. So
then what are you doing, or what do they
want? The answer is that brainwashed
by media and peer pressure they cannot
help themselves.
Ghosts especially like young women according
to the conversation of Srila
Prabhupada in Perth May 12th 1975. So it
is not unusual or absurd, what we are
stating here.
Without breaching professional ethics
and revealing names and places etc., let
me just say that my experience with
Bhuta Graha among young adults has been
quite extensive. We have seen young
women having fainting fits, spells of
lethargy, emotional mood swings,
disruptions to menstrual cycles, and so on, or
just out right sneaking off and getting
pregnant; and we have seen young men
displaying bazaar behaviour to get
noticed, wild dancing, and flashy clothes, or
playing of musical instruments to get
attention (and not of the Lord), even
tattooing their foreheads, or wearing
strange clothing apparel upon their
bodies. And all this is in the
cloistered society of Vaishnavas, what to speak
in the mundane society where young men
dress in Gothic and prance around in
fish-net tights with lip-stick on their
faces, etc., and hair-styles more
befitting the insect kingdom, and body
piercing - the inane cries for
attention...... (or as mentioned
earlier; mood changes, doing things for
attention, pretending to be raped or
abused, inventing friends, other eccentric
behaviour, or depression, argumentation,
disturbed sleep, breathing problems,
"fits or epilepsy", bolemia,
anorexia, etc.)
The examples that we stating here have
been too many to think it a coincidence,
for the same things have happened in
different towns, some even in different
countries. It is not just one or two I
have been asked to help but dozens over
the last ten years, and even some young
men who were suffering from similar
troubles.
Whilst studying Systems of Healing,
Social Anthropology and Human Development at
Massey University we had the opportunity
to do case studies on different people
who were undergoing "crisis"
in their lives.
Most of these crisis were due to the concept that they were either
lacking
in something, a want, for something or a
fear that something was going to be
taken away, or had been taken away.
These crisis were not new things, most had
them on a reoccurring basis throughout
their lives. In Human Development
(Papillia & Olds.1990. page 533.) it
identifies some of the crisis that people
of different ages undergo, and how they
react; Young adulthood - having finished
their education, training and courtship
and having recently embarked on careers,
marriage and parent hood - are eager to
live the lives that they have been
preparing for. When they are suddenly
taken ill or badly injured, young adults
are likely to feel more intensely
emotional about imminent death than people in
any other period of life (Pattison,
1977.) They feel extremely frustrated at the
inability to fulfil their dreams. Their
frustration turns to rage, and that rage
often makes young adults troublesome
hospital patients.(Papillia & Olds.1990.
page 533.) There is more to it too,
often they see others enjoying life, and
feel somewhat deprived of pleasure or
missing out on something that they feel
was intrinsically theirs. In Middle
Adulthood crisis are faced in a slightly
different way, people take stock of
their careers, their marriages, or the
marriages or relationships that they
never had, their relationships with their
children, their friendships, or lack of
them, their values and how they spend
their time, etc. Fraught with the
conception that "Time is running out" as we
mentioned before they take to the open
market. Late adulthood crisis often
become sour reflections, being sick and
unable to do all the things that they
wish they had in the earlier parts of
their lives, or feeling that they are now
a burden on their family, etc., many of
their friends popping up in the obituary
column, and knowing that time is closing
in, their life is often just filling in
time, and pretty miserable to the point
that they are "Ready to face
death".(Papillia & Olds.1990.
page 533.) But you and I know that this is not the
way to face death.
The following chart gives some idea as
to expectations that normative
development give rise to, and also
dysfunctional development if not dealt
with.(C.K. Sigelman & D.R. Shaffer.
1991. LifeSpan Human Development. page 305.)
AGE RANGES STAGE (how they develop)
EMERGING PERSONALITY STRENGTH
Birth to 1 year trust & mistrust,
Hope
1 year to 3 years autonomy vs, shame
& doubt, Will (a sense of self)
3 years to 6 years initiative vs. guilt,
Purpose (goal setting)
6 years to 12 years industry vs.
inferiority, Competence (self esteem)
12 years to 20 years identity vs.
role(s), confusion, Fidelity (ability to
commit one's self)
20 years to 40 years intimacy vs.
isolation, Love
40 years to 65 years generativity vs.
stagnation, Care (investment in future
generations)
65 or so onward integrity vs. despair,
Wisdom.
A deeper look at the nature of these
periods may show us further insight as to
how and why bhut-graha develops in a
range of people, and how it can be
overcome.
Prenatal stage, conception to birth:
Basic body structure and organs form.
Physical growth is most rapid of life
span. Vulnerability to environmental
influences is great.
Infancy and toddlerhood (birth to 3
years.):
New born is dependent but competent. All
senses operate at birth. Physical
growth and development of motor skills
are rapid. Ability to learn and remember
is present, even in early weeks of life.
Attachments to parents and others form
toward end of first year. Self-awareness
develops in second year. Comprehension
and speech develop rapidly. Interest in
other children increases.
Early Childhood (3 to 6 years.):
Family is still focus of life, although
other children become more important.
Strength and fine and gross motor skills
improve. Independence, self-control,
and self care increase. Play,
creativity, and imagination become more elaborate.
Cognitive immaturity leads to many
"illogical" ideas about the world. Behaviour
is largely egocentric, but understanding
of other people's perspective grows.
Middle Childhood (6 to 12 years):
Peers assume central importance.
Children begin to think logically, although
largely concretely. Egocentrisism
diminishes. Memory and language skills
increase. Cognitive gains improve
ability to benefit from formal schooling.
Self-concept develops, affecting
self-esteem. Physical growth slows. Strength
and athletic skills improve.
Adolescence (12 to 20 years.):
Physical changes are rapid and profound.
Reproductive maturity is attained.
Search for identity becomes central.
Ability to think abstractly and use
scientific reasoning develops.
Adolescent Egocentrisism persists in some
behaviours, Peer groups help to develop
and test self-concept. Relationships
with parents are generally good.
Young Adulthood (20- 40 years.):
Decisions are made about intimate
relations. Most people marry; most become
parents. Physical health peaks, then
declines slightly. Career choices are made.
Sense of identity continues to develop.
Intellectual abilities assume new
complexity.
Middle Age (40 to 65 years.):
Search for meaning in life assumes
central importance. Some deterioration of
physical health, stamina, and prowess
takes place. Women experience menopause.
Wisdom and practical problem solving
skills are high; ability to solve novel
problems declines. Double
responsibilities of caring for children and elderly
parents may cause stress. Time
orientation changes to "Time left to live".
Launching of children typically leaves
nest empty. Typically, women become more
assertive, men become more nurturant and
expressive. For some, career success
and earning power peak; for others,
"burnout" occurs. For a minority, there's a
mid-life "Crisis".
Late Adulthood (65 years and over).:
Most people are healthy and active,
although health and physical abilities
decline somewhat. Most people are
mentally alert. Although intelligence and
memory deteriorate somewhat, most people
find ways to compensate. Slowing of
reaction time affects many aspects of
functioning. Need to cope with losses in
many areas (loss of one's own faculties,
loss of loved ones). Retirement from
work force creates more leisure time but
may reduce economic circumstances. Need
arises to find purpose in life to face
impending death.(Papilia & Olds. 1990.
Human Development. pages 7-8.)
As maturational development goes through
the stages crisis is there, evaluation
of our quality of life is there,
assessment and projection toward fulfilment of
what we aspire for and who we think we
are, or desire to be holds its presence.
You one can imagine if one tries
avoiding any of, or combinations of these
developmental examinations, sooner that
later the test will come. That test of
all tests being the time of death. For
all other test results will be evaluated
at this time, and if there hasn't been
enough Crisis then try this one on for
size. Depending on how we score in that
examination/test we get a body
accordingly, and some as we are
propounding here because of their massive
attachments almost refuse to give up the
past bodily situation even though it is
rudely taken from them anyway, or out of
frustration for their situation they
take their life. Either way, the fact of
the matter is that the same crisis has
not been dealt with, and it will not go
away. Consequently that person has to
take yet another birth in a material
body to fulfil those desires and work out
those frustrations.
Consequently at death one is according
to his/her consciousness taken to be
fitted for the next dress. If one is a
pious person one may go to a higher
domain, or gain entrance into a good
family for the opportunity of being trained
up in devotional attributes to further
the progression. At the end of that life
time the perfect devotee will leave that
body to go to join Krishna in His
pastimes that are still being enacted in
one of the almost unlimited material
universes, and in that association of
pure devotees go through his final
finishing school before returning to the
spiritual abode (Chaitanya Charitamrta.
- Disappearance of Haridas Thakur.)
Failing that one may, if one is not so
pious be taken down one of the 72,000
nadis (arteries) that are mentioned in
the Vedanta sutra, each of which, like a
predestined door to your future, has
your designated destiny behind it. Some
people have experienced NDE (near death
experiences, where guides have been
contacted, declarations made, directions
given, before returning to this world.
Srila Baladev Vidyabhushana in his
Govinda bhasya commentary on Vedanta Sutra
says that they cannot return to the spiritual
world until all their works are
completed(Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad
4:4:6.) The description is there of the soul
venturing down long nadis (subtle
tunnels or arteries - arterial routes) having
one's life flashing before one as one
goes there as if in a sleeping or
dreaming state. It is described that
just as in a palace there may be a door,
couch, and light that fills it so the
soul enters into that realm in a peaceful
state and experiences the state of
Brahman. Her it is clearly defined that the
jiva souls in essence is neither of
these things, he's not of the gross or
subtle body, not of the nadis, and not
of the resting place in brahman, all of
which are temporal places. There he is
tended by appointed assistants who share
with him spiritual enlightenment, often
giving direction, and resolve of how he
can improve the quality of life which
he/she, due to material attachments is
forced to return to. However, Vedanta
Sutra makes it clear that the same person
in one sense does not return. "When
a jiva enters to the Brahman, he enters like
a jar full of salt water, with covered
mouth, plunged into the Ganges. When he
awakens from sleep, it is the same jar,
taken out of the river with the same
water in it. In the same way the jiva,
covered by his desires, goes to sleep and
for the
time being puts off all sense activites and goes to the resting place,
namely, the Supreme Brahman, and again
comes out of it, in order to get further
experience. He does not become similar
to the Brahman, like the person who has
obtained release. Thus we learn from
this four fold reason that the same soul
which had gone to sleep, awakes into the
same body."(Govinda Bhasya - Vedanta
sutra 3rd Adhyaya 2nd Pada, 6th
Adikarana sloka 10.)
Those souls who are worthy of reform,
the sinful, are taken to the Plutonic
realm of the Yamaraj by his accomplices
at the speed of mind to experience what
they had done to others.
My Experiences with Ghosts:
Ghosts - the page that goes bump in the
night - A page for those who "ENJOY"
this kind of thing.
The International Society for Paranormal
Research
A Guide to known haunted places around
the world.
A ghost hunters prayer:
Chanting Hare Krishna
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