Today is Halloween! One of my favorite holidays because I’ve always loved spooky stories. Tales of scary, hair-raising, goosebumpy stories are more common than you think! I’ve had my fair share of experiences where I’ve seen, heard, or felt something that blurs the line between life and the afterlife. Seems like every culture has its own version of ghost stories. The oral tradition of these spooky tales must stem from somewhere! Here are my recent spooky encounters.
St. Michan Church crypts, Dublin, Ireland: Last year during Halloween (Samhain in the Celtic tradition), I went to Ireland with a friend. As stated before in a post, Ireland is full of spiritual activity. We went to this quieter corner of Dublin to find St. Michan Church (foundation started in 1095, btw). It was listed as a spooky place one must visit since it offered a tour of its crypts. I had also read that Bram Stroker found his inspiration for Dracula here. For less than 10 euros, we were led down this very (!!!) narrow stone stairwell underneath the church. From there, the guide explained the history of the crypts and its (ahem) permanent residents. A narrow hallway with nooks on each side, one after another. Families could invest in a vault where, over the years, their coffins could lay in peace next to one another. Coffins were stacked on each other. The oldest ones were at the bottom which meant over time, the weight of the newer ones would compromise the structure of the older ones. Some collapsed, displaying the bones of one’s final sleeping bed. Surprisingly, the crypt did not smell like decay, due to the temperature and lack of moisture.
I will always have respect for someone’s final resting place. The whole space had an eeriness to it. The still air, the crushed coffins with exposed bones, the skulls that rolled away from their bodies. I could feel the presence of several wandering souls in that tight space. If you’ve ever felt like you’re being watched or that something else is in the room with you, well then you know what I’m talking about!
Witney, England: A few years ago, my family and I went to England for my cousins’ destination wedding. We stayed in this cute 15th century cottage in Witney on the edge of the famous Cotswolds. Witney was a famous market town whose market dates back to the Middle Ages. Wool was especially popular to sell or trade. I have a treasured wool blanket from there.
Anyways, I found the perfect Airbnb that would fit the whole family comfortable. The house was nestled in between several businesses on a busy street. Beautiful stone work which helped drown out the street noise. Lower ceilings and small rooms, which is testament to homes of yesteryear. The classic look of exposed beams were juxtaposed with modernized features.
One evening, I was walking from the bathroom back to my bedroom which was all the way down at the hall. A shadow crept from one side of the room to the other. I stopped dead in my tracks. What did I just see….. Slowly, I approached my room and peered around. Empty, of course. No big deal. Just a shadow figure is somewhere in my room (sarcasm). I finish getting ready for bed, turn off the light, and snuggle into the sheets. A heaviness is in the air now. And moments later tap…tap…tap… I thought perhaps water was dripping somewhere on the carpet. Tap…tap….tap…. It was driving me nuts, so I threw on the lights. Checked everywhere for water dripping. Found nothing. Turned the lights off. Tap….tap…tap…. I heard a family member come up the stairs and clear their throat. The tapping stopped and the air lifted. Whatever spirit that was decided to leave, but man I had a sleepless night.
Milwaukee Public Museum: A story closer to home happened at the Milwaukee Public Museum’s section of the Old Streets of Milwaukee. The European village is full of artifacts displayed by country. Items are donated by descendants for these displays. The air is definitely heavy, probably from the souls people hanging on to their old belongings. Other sections of Old Milwaukee show businesses of yesteryear. I was in the nook of the General Store display. All of a sudden, I felt a gentle grasp on my neck. I turned around and was completely alone. I said out loud (to no one but a spirit), “Please don’t touch me!”. And walked out of there as fast as I could! That’s the first time in my life I’ve actually physically *felt* an entity.
I have several other stories of encounters that are a little more personal. Whenever I share a story, almost ALWAYS someone also has one to also share. We look to one another to validate these experiences that no one else may believe. Or perhaps, you don’t want to believe it happened to you and then the rational mind takes over. You saw what you saw and felt what you felt. I think it’s fascinating that when traveling, many people across the world embrace that they coexist with the spirits.