Cleansing Your Home, I need some insight on a problem...

I need some help on something. The past 2 weeks, my older son (12) has been saying that he's hearing things in our basement family room. Twice he has heard the computer speakers say some weird things to him, but only in this particular room. He's a night owl and stays up late playing computer games, and lately, he's been getting spooked downstairs. In the 5 years that I've owned this house, in hind sight, I've never felt comfortable in that room. It's designed to be a family hangout space (complete with the big screen TV, air hockey table, treadmill, stereo, etc), but I never hang out down there. My 2 boys spend a lot of time in the room, but I seem to avoid it. It's not something I do consiously...just looking back, I've noticed that I don't spend time in there.

So at this point, I'm trying to figure out if there's something negative going on in that room, or if my kid is becoming a Schizophrenic. Both of my boys have made comments that they felt the house was haunted. I don't feel that it's haunted, but I'm starting to wonder if there's something negative hanging around.

Is there a good and easy cleansing ritual I could try? Or do you have any thoughts on what could be going on here?

The easiest thing to try first is open all the windows in your house, burn a smudge stick carrying it through all the rooms of your home starting at the upper most floor and terminating in the troubled room. This should cleanse any minor "trouble". If this does not work you might want to consider contacting a spiritualist to evaluate you trouble.

Edited to add:
I guess I made this sound to simple, there is ritual involved.
You should start in the center of each room facing east, move to each cornor of the room clockwise east, south, west, then north, moving back to the center of the room from the cornor each time. Do this for every room. Then close the windows after you finish the whole house.

Please be sure you carry a container under your smudge stick or else you may also remove yourself from your home, fire is not a good thing to experience in one's home.

Any recommendations on where to get a smudge stick...

I usually make my own, sorry!

If you have sage growning in your herb garden cut several 6 - 7 in long new growth branches, tie them together with linen or cotton thread or string tightly into a cigar shaped bundle. keeping ther stems on it., dry in the sun for a day or two.

I don't like to even contemplate the other possibility you raise, but there is no harm in getting your son checked, starting with his pediatrician. Then you have both bases covered. If it even occurred to you, and knowing it's the way the disorder sometimes does begin (although he's kind of young), why not rule it out, and then you can work on the other problem you suspect with a clear mind?

Also -- is there any chance your boy has seen a movie trailer on the internet for the film "The Haunting in Connecticut?" It is thematically similar -- a boy who chooses a basement room starts to be the one to detect the signs of an "infestation" that seems to be targeting him. He may be unconsciously processing it -- it's a very disturbing trailer.

I can not personally speak to hauntings, possessions or the like. However I also would never say they are not a possibility. I had a friend who as a child lived in the hills of Kentucky. She claimed they lived in a house that was haunted and could not afford to move. They had their preacher bless water then sprinkled it and and hung crosses in every room. She swore that it worked. I suspect that or any ritual does more to remove an idea from ones mind than a spirit from ones house.

As to Schizophrenia, my niece runs a group home for Schizophrenic's and for most some trauma in young adulthood brought it to the surface. It is treatable though the medications are strong. They are really great people, just like the rest of us but with a different ailment.

The cleansing ritual might just work if something he saw or read put an idea in his mind.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

Hi Irish Stepper , not to intrude Shadows and stoirmeil, but I have found smudge sticks in Health Food stores. You might also try online. Here is a link. Sticks I hope this helps you. I agree to have your son checked make sure all is ok. Sometimes I do question the doctors judgements of what Schizophrenia really is. I'd smudge too, it can't hurt. Let us know whats going on will you? I wish you all the luck in the world. I remember basements scared the heck out of me. Still kind of do.

Slainte

Not to be boastful, but I do not remember ever being afraid. Thinking back, there were times when I should have been but it just didn't cross my mind. That probably makes me a bit strange.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

Patch I don't think your strange at all. I wish I could be like you. I was going to say I like your idea of getting it "out of the mind". I've a friend who had a child afraid of monsters and she got a can told her child it was monster spray and *poof* no more monsters did he see. I don't think this would work for a 12 year old though

Wish you all the best to all of you.

Slainte

I have a question on the cleansing process! Does the burning of the smudge stick cleanse the room or does one have to have the right attitude and take charge over the negative energy that might be afflicting the child? What is the purpose of the ritual if you are not confident or are fearful of the energy?

Flora

I suspect my churches rite of exorcisim (rarely practiced today) has more to do with cleansing the mind than casting out demons. I live about 40 miles from the Seminary that taught the art to priests in America. For a long time it was a retirement home for priests and nuns and I visited several priests there. The last died a few years ago and it was sold to a consortium for an assisted living center. The chapel (large) was to be maintained in perpetuity. Two years ago it was still the same. I think I will go back again. The seven steps of exorcisim lead up to the alter and the "relics" were still sealed in the alter.

The human mind is a powerful thing. It can create things that do not exist and eliminate things that do.

The minds of even adults can be altered. I think one would have to be open to suggestion. Jim Jones and his kool aide would be a good example. The govt. even works on all of us today. Sometimes the degree of their success frightens me.

Mind control over a 12 year old would be harder but I think not impossible.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

The lady I knew said her mother read quotes from the bible. I would guess it was ritualistic similar to rindy's example of spraying the monsters under the bed. Just that it would be geared to the beliefs of those involved. I am certain that if you do not believe in the proceedure it will not work.

Were I to try this I would build up to the cleansing as a great event. It would enhance the mind's ability to accept it.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

I'm actually starting to think it's a bug on the software of the game now. It only happens when he's playing a game called Toon Town, and now it's happening when he's on the lap top upstairs too. I'm going to send a bug report to the makers of the game and see what comes out of it.

There are some very active hackers out there right now too.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

As a matter of course, I smudge not only my house, but also my yard, quarterly at or near the solstices and equinoxes. It's a two step process, first with either sage or cedar to clear the air of (as it were), then followed up with sweetgrass to invite the friendly and caring.

I also smudge any time there is sickness in the house or kennel. Smudging is a part of many ceremonies and celebrations, and I know many who smudge daily as part of their prayer and meditation practices.

Swanny