Rebekah Carmichael is the author of the new book The Not-So-Scary Guide to Ghosts: How to Make the Paranormal Normal.
Q: What inspired you to write The Not-So-Scary Guide to Ghosts?
A: The Not-So-Scary Guide to Ghosts came as a solution to a personal problem I faced 10 years ago: What if I didn't have to be afraid of ghosts?
As I experienced my own spiritual reawakening in one of the most underrated haunted hotspots in the south, Wilmington North Carolina, I regularly had interactions with spirits that were casual and even heartwarming.
No mediums I could find were talking about the concept of friendships with ghosts, let alone how to safely connect with them with humanity, ethics, and mutual respect.
As I shared my experiences online, I realized I wasn't alone. I realized people were looking to understand and didn't know where to start. I wrote a book that not only addresses this, but allows people to really empower themselves through their own grounded experiences and perceptions.
Q: What do you think are some of the most common perceptions and misperceptions about ghosts?
A: The most common misperceptions about ghosts are that they're either all "demons," are all malicious or dangerous, and are a stain on our plane of existence that therefore need to be moved on. Imagine kicking a grandma out of her house who filled the kitchen with the smell of fresh ground coffee in the morning! Is she really the enemy?
As far as common perceptions go... I think many people can agree that ghosts can exist, but what they are and why they're there and how to talk with them? That's up for debate.
Q: What do you say to people who are skeptical?
A: People are skeptical of ghosts because the concept makes them uncomfortable. Imagine repeating your tragic slow painful death over and over again. No one in their right mind would want that! Imagine being stuck in heartbreak and waiting for a long-lost lover to come home for 100 years. Sounds awful!
Ghosts represent some of the deepest emotions humans can muster. They are the parts of us we never took time to grieve and make space for. They represent the holes in our greatest insecurities. When we're not ready to face those parts of ourselves, of course ghosts would make us uncomfortable.
Q: What do you hope people take away from the book?
A: If there's one thing people take away from the book it's this: if you're interested in ghosts, there's a reason for it. You may not know the reason why - I know I didn't for most of my life! - but trust there is a reason there.
I hope readers feel empowered to share their interests with others and really learn from each other's experiences. Ghost stories have always been a link between time, space, and people in our culture. Let's keep that connection alive together.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Besides my regular Patreon courses and workshops that I've been leading for years, I'm working on a book that dives into the depths of differentiating spiritual frequencies and densities.
In TNSSGTG I have a single introductory chapter on this topic. It really deserves an entire book. I have rarely shared my many stories of inhuman entities, elementals, fae, aliens, daemons, deities, and more with the public as this topic goes well beyond ghosts. I'd like to change that.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: All my info can be found on my website: www.rebekahtheghostguide.com For safety, I'm never in DMs. No exceptions.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
No comments:
Post a Comment