So, What’s It Like To See A Ghost?

by Jodie Bares

I have gotten this question a few times from the people who know that I have had experiences with the paranormal. Those that I’ve talked to about my sensitivity towards spirits, everyone always wants to know what they look like. If you ask me this because you’re trying to compare notes with me based on things you’ve seen, then it may not be the same. Let me explain why.

When we think of ghosts or spirits, the typical image of a floating sheet with two eyes usually come to mind, or perhaps a blobby orb bouncing around a room.  Let me tell you, I have never seen a Casper the Friendly Ghost-type, full-body, transparent, bobbing blob. 

Because of my ability, I tend to see things differently. Usually, I tend to pick up feelings, and especially smells, before anything manifests in front of me.  Smells are usually what tip me off that I’m not alone and someone is trying to come through. For example, neither my husband or I smoke, so when I get the smell of cigarettes in my home, I just casually say “Hey grandma!” I can feel she is near just because that was a smell I always associated with my grandmother. 

As for my feelings, sometimes it can manifest in ways that are telling of how a person died. For example, I went to the funeral of my godfather’s father.  I didn’t know his dad and I hadn’t really spent a lot of time with the family in many years.  I had no prior knowledge about his father or the events surrounding his death.  While in line to pay my respects, my stomach started to ache out of nowhere. It was a stabbing burning pain that almost took my breath away and I had to struggle to keep from doubling over.  I get up to the casket, paid my respects, and walked away. About midway down the aisle, the pain subsided and I felt so much relief.  I went to the back of the room where my godfather’s son was sitting alone and I asked him how he was holding up. He mentioned that he was sad but he was glad his grandad was no longer in pain.  I paused and I felt my face get really hot.  Curiosity overtook me and I asked what he had died from.  My friend replied, “stomach cancer.” His grandfather wanted me to know the feeling, but I still do not know what his intentions of giving me those pains were.

I see mainly shadow people.  Most apparitions that appear to me show up in silhouette.  Sometimes a scent accompanies it that makes me realize who is visiting me. We have a shadow person in our home that I can’t seem to get much of a read on. All I know is that when they show up, he or she likes to take my energy and make me feel sadness.  I tend to have crying spells when this one shows up. 

Occasionally, an orb will show up, but it’s extremely rare. I hardly ever see full body spirits.  The ones I see clearly appear only half formed.  The last one I saw was at a wedding.  From the waist up, it looked like I was looking at a flesh and blood human, but under the waist, there was nothing.  What I believe I saw was the spirit of Harriet Haskell (see The Ghost That Went To College post about that story) since it was only a skirt and then a blurry head. 

I feel like everyone who sees and feel things on the other side experience them in completely different ways, as you can seefrom the few examples I gave. There’s no handbook you can write about ghosts and how they appear to you. You must keep your mind and spirit open and then the dead will talk.