The events I’m about to recount happened several months ago. Though I had expected to write about them much sooner, I realize now that Halloween week is the perfect time to share my ghost story with you.
I’ve already gone public with my garden’s chatterbox ways, whether it’s life lessons whispered from the compost pile or what the Universe is teaching me when a snake swallows baby wrens right outside my kitchen window.
And I’ve already written here about the repeated water disasters in my house.
What I didn’t understand was the linkage between the two. All those water events were apparently the land’s efforts to get my attention–a cry for help, if you will.
It was Bridget, the spiritual dowser and space clearer in Saskatchewan, Canada, who told me about the ghosts.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
It all started with the sewage backup in the basement, a shitty way to start a weekend when your husband is headed out of town and you’re left with the clean-up.
I called my Feng Shui consultant, Carol Olmstead, to report this latest flood. Carol was no stranger to our water woes, which included several freak floods and two previous sewage backups. She had done a full Feng Shui scan before and after our master bathroom remodel. All was in order with the design, pathways were cleared to allow positive chi to flow, and the plumbing was new.
In addition to the bathroom remodel, I had even replaced all the toilets in the house with super-duper-pooper-flushing commodes. I had crossed every “t” and dotted every “i” on the plumbing front, since Feng Shui says that leaky faucets and other plumbing problems symbolize a drain on your finances. And yes, I drained a hefty chunk of our finances for those fixes.
When the sewage backed up into the basement yet again, the plumber was at a loss as to the source of the problem.
Carol had a plausible answer, depending, of course, on where you stand on the woo-woo scale. Sewage backups, according to Feng Shui, result from the house clearing bad energy out of its system.
I developed my own theory. The sewage backup happened the week before my first colonoscopy. I figured the house was just being empathetic by clearing its own bowels.
Putting my mindfulness techniques to use, I remained calm and accepting. I went about the cleanup in a zen-like state, not adding any of my own drama to the situation. I even looked for silver linings, like getting new carpet (except that I had already gotten new carpet not too long ago after the last flood).
Five days later, water poured through the dining room ceiling, right below that new bathroom of mine.
Now it was getting creepy.
“You need a specialist,” was all Carol could say once she got over her shock at this latest development. “Something bigger is going on here.”
She hooked me up with Bridget Sarako, CEO of the International Feng Shui Guild and creator of Feng Shui by Bridget. Bridget’s website lists her specialties as: “On-site and Distant Feng Shui, Dowsing, Space Clearing, Blessings Ceremonies and Zen Attunement© Consultations.”
Stay with me, people. This was uncharted territory for me too.
In our initial phone consultation, Bridget explained that she could send her energy field down from Saskatchewan to check out our little plot of land in Vienna, Virginia. If she found energetic disturbances that needed fixing, she could take care of that for us.
When I asked about the mechanics of how this all works, she said she’s not a clairvoyant or fortune teller. Instead of “seeing” what most of us can’t, she “feels” the situation by tapping in to the vibration. Then she clears whatever non-beneficial energies she comes across and balances the rest to support the highest good.
And why not? I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I don’t have to understand everything.
The price was less than what we spend on a new pair of soccer cleats for the boys, so I was going for it. My husband and sons, whose permission Bridget needed before her “arrival” since she’d be checking out their chi as well, humored me. But the kids made it clear they thought I was a whack job.
Curses, ghosts, and other bad juju…
Well, Bridget found all sorts of non-beneficial energies stuck on our property. Some had to do with geopathic stress, some were related to electromagnetic fields (so-called Curry Lines and Hartman Lines), and some were from interference caused by cell phone towers.
But the water problems–the reason Bridget was on the case–were presented to her as being due to very old emotional trauma of the land. You heard me. Emotional trauma of the land was making my house cry.
Whatever the trauma was, it probably had something to do with the four curses, four Earth Karma sources (stemming from the curses), and the six or more non-beneficial energy forms that she encountered in addition to those already listed above.
As Bridget explains it, that last category of non-beneficials “are sometimes thought of as ghosts, thought forms, or energy beings that are either stuck or move through time.”
OK then.
Don’t run away yet. I’m just getting to the interesting part…
Across cultures, and in Feng Shui specifically, water represents emotions and purification. As she befriended the energies on our property, Bridget was informed that our water incidents stemmed from the land’s plea for release and healing.
But what was the source of the trauma in the first place? I asked if my kids’ fighting or teen angst could be to blame, but they were off the hook. The trauma had deep historical roots.
Bridget asked me if anything noteworthy had happened in our local history that might provide a clue.
“Well,” I said, “this area had a lot of Civil War action.” But I’m no military historian, so couldn’t speculate further.
She suggested we check my town’s website, which confirmed that Vienna had been “an alternate camping ground for the two contending forces” when the war broke out. “This was a confusing time for residents. It was hard to tell friend from foe, and the area changed hands so often that many families moved away for the duration of the war.”
Between all of that bad blood and recorded violent skirmishes in the neighborhood, trauma was clearly in abundant supply.
What gave both of us goose bumps, though, was that the first settler within the town limits of Vienna was probably a man by the name of Colonel Charles Broadwater, “a prominent colonial soldier and public servant, who owned much of the land in the region and built his home here in 1754.”
Bridget made an immediate connection with our water issues and BroadWATER. “When I get tingly like this,” she said, “it tells me we’re on to something.”
My own goose bumps stemmed from the fact that during our stint in Germany living on a military base, the senior ranking officer was General Colby Broadwater. I’ve lost touch with our old neighbors, but my recollection is that he came from a long line of military Broadwaters. I’m in the process of tracking them down to inquire if there’s a link.
No more tears…
Once Bridget had a handle on the source of the water incidents (which I’ve come to think of as very wet and snotty whispers from the land), she cleared and transformed the non-beneficial energies, brought in positive healing energy, and balanced everything out to serve the highest good. Not only that, she created an energetic matrix anchored at the four corners of the property to protect us as long as is needed. I forgot to ask if a warranty comes along with it.
We all feel better after a good cry, especially when we know we’ve been heard by the target of our outburst. Now that I’m listening and have done my part to help the healing process along, I hope we won’t need any more Kleenex (or insurance claims).
So far so good. Happy Halloween!
What about you? Do you have any ghost stories of your own? Or are you of the “she’s a whack job” opinion?
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Laura says
It’s definitely interesting, Martha, but I’m not buying it. Let us know about the Broadwaters, though….
Martha says
Ah, Laura! I was hoping someone would step up and identify themselves as being in the “she’s a whack job” camp. Thank you! I suspect that most of my readers will be of the same view. That’s what makes this blogging business so much fun–throwing caution to the wind and simply putting yourself out there, pushing the envelope at times. I’ll keep you posted on my Broadwater research! xxoo Martha
Mia Gardiner says
Perfect timing for sharing your ghost story — Happy Halloween! Can’t wait to hear about the possible Broadwater connections. Even better….. I am thinking that there really won’t be any more floods. Bridget’s analysis held together so well as she checked out the property and the information you sent her. This woo-hoo was really down to earth. Great story. Even though I had heard some of it before, I enjoyed reading about it sooooo much.
Martha says
Thanks so much, Mia! So far so good on the water incident front, and it’s been five months already. That’s a pretty good run for us. I couldn’t figure out why it was taking me so long to share this story, given how jazzed up I was about it all when it happened. Obviously, Halloween was the perfect time to write about it (and then I could also report that we’ve gone five months without a water incident!”. xxoo Martha
Francie Hunt says
Martha, that was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I have no opinion on the “whack job” aspect…I believe once you pass a certain age, you are entitled to think and do pretty much anything you want (of course, if you read my FB posts, you know what those boundaries are). So you’ll have to keep us posted on the status of the plumbing issues over the next year.
I happened to run into the Broadwaters at the Flughafen when my son arrived last Christmas…I heard Jane’s voice and recognized her immediately, and she me. They were visiting their son, who was stationed here, and daughter-in-law, who, as it happens, had just the day before helped me pick out a frame for a portrait I had just finished of my deceased father (she’s quite gifted at it, I might add). We had a quick catch up, Colby was his most distinguished self…
Martha says
Francie! Lucky you to have run into the Broadwaters! They are both high on the “distinguished” scale in my book, even if (or perhaps because they might have a ghost or two in the family). Another friend just sent me their contact information, so I’ll be following up and will keep you posted. And I agree with you — once you pass a certain age, you have the green light, if you so choose, to embrace a whack job identity (my kids, however, would disagree). Always love hearing from you, my friend! ~ Martha
Carol Olmstead says
Thanks for another brilliant piece of writing, Martha! I got chills when I read about all those Broadwaters. You know that I always try to avoid bringing woo-woo into my Feng Shui practice, but sometimes when we’ve exhausted all the visible options, it’s time to look to the land to see what energy – what we call predecessor chi – it is holding. I worked with a Virginia client who had a lone grave on the top of the hill at the edge of her property. It had been declared a Civil War grave, but the headstone was too worn to identify it further. She told me the entire family felt “unsettled” since they moved into the house. It was only after we decided to fence in the site to contain the predecessor chi and honor the spirit of whoever was buried there, that things began to feel better. She began thinking of it as an historical site rather than a cemetery. Throughout the VA, MD, DC area I find homes on land that has absorbed Civil War energies. As I move up the coast it tends to be more Revolutionary War energies – the all too common “Washington Slept Here” signs that were a joke during my New Jersey childhood took on new meaning once I started to practice Feng Shui. In the Southwest, I deal with homes built on ancient Native American burial grounds. Since Feng Shui is “house therapy,” I believe that like all forms of therapy it’s most effective as prevention, so last year I asked the talented Bridget to do a dowsing on my Santa Fe property. Her finding – my land was under an alien flight path. Whether the aliens were ancient or current she couldn’t determine. Considering that Santa Fe is South of Los Alamos National Lab and North of Roswell, you can draw your own conclusions. Your dowsing story sounds “down to earth,” literally, to me.
Martha says
Wow, Carol, what a fantastic response! Given that Colonel Broadwater bought the land in 1754, we probably have an overlap of Revolutionary War and Civil War energies at play. Loved your description of Feng Shui as being “house therapy.” I can attest to my house (and those of us in it) just feeling better since I started incorporating your practical “fixes” these past few years. Aliens, huh? You just had to one-up me, didn’t you? Thanks so much for the comment! ~ Martha
Carol Olmstead says
I’ve shared your post and asked readers to vote on the “whack job” question. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Martha says
Love it, Carol! Do keep me posted! Do my kids get to vote?
Bill Apablasa says
it’s all energy…seen and unseen…felt and unfelt. The fact that you are so tuned into it is a wonderful gift, made even greater because you have the strength to do something about it. Loved the post. You brought humor and lightness to a very real subject. And you made it fun. And that’s the way these lessons should be. Well done.
Martha says
How wonderful to hear from you, Bill! Thanks for putting your vote in the “maybe she’s not such a whack job” column. And if it turns out that I am, indeed, in the “whack job” group, I know that’s where I’ll find my favorite people. Happy Halloween! ~ Martha
Scott says
Great story for Halloween!
Damn that General Broadwater. Have you given thought to moving to St. LANDRY Parish Louisiana? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Landry_Parish,_Louisiana)
Martha says
Where in the heck did you come out with that, Scott? Based on the history of St. Landry, there must be a lot of crying houses there! So glad you enjoyed the piece! ~ Martha
Caroline says
Great story, so interesting! Love your style Martha. This could be the beginnings of a book. Bridget & Carol are very talented & intuitive Feng Shui consultants & help so many people.
Martha says
Thanks so much for the kind words, Caroline! Yes, Bridget and Carol have been wonderful teachers. As for the beginning of a book, I’ve already started one. Your encouragement is a great help! Thanks for stopping by — hope to “see” you again! ~ Martha
Ellen Stoupa says
So interesting…cool that you even thought to research it that far.
I see dead people. Well, not ‘see’ exactly, but feel. I also predict natural disasters and terrorist attacks with much accuracy. I know. Weird.
Martha says
Ellen! Wonderful to hear from you! And even better to learn that you might not be in the “she’s a whack job” camp. How many people are milling about out there like you (and me, just a little) who are perfectly normal, upstanding members of society with the small difference that they can feel dead people and predict natural and manmade disasters? More than anyone would guess, I’m sure. I choose to be fascinated instead of frightened by the prospect. Now we have something more to talk about than our sore muscles from boot camp! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Ellen. I don’t feel quite so alone anymore. ~ Martha