In addition to their work as investigators, counselors, and lecturers, the Warrens also teach an undergraduate course once a year on Demonology and Paranormal Phenomena at Southern Connecticut State College.
“This is where we really get into the material,” explains Ed, one sunny day after class. “Here there’s time to examine the whole panorama of the problem in an academic setting. The first step is to acquaint the student with paranormal phenomena-events that are strange or unusual, but which have a natural explanation. Then we move on to spirit activity. We cover what spirits can and can’t do. We go into the philosophy, psychology, physics, and metaphysics of the subject as much as possible. But more than just talk, we lay the evidence out on the table. We show the students real physical objects that were materialized or teleported from the other side. We show them the actual conjuring instruments that were used to summon particular spirit entities. We discuss cases in detail, and examine the tactics, strategy, and meaning of the phenomena that resulted. We show the students pictures and slides of spirit activity in progress, although in the future, I’d also like to use films and videotapes taken while disturbances are going on. The visuals allow the student to see spirits in manifest form. They can also see levitations while they’re occurring, as well as see what people look like under demoniacal oppression and possession.
“We also get into what’s called psychic photographs—where images show up on film that weren’t visible at the time the photograph was taken. Many times, photographs taken in a haunted house or psychically active area show a living person looking just like an apparition-—that is, he’s half invisible. You can see right through him! It kind of shows man for being the spirit he really is! Other times, psychic photos will show bioluminescent forms, ghosts, apparitions, demon faces, objects that weren’t present when the picture was snapped, and so forth.
“Finally, we wrap up the course with tape recordings of spirit voices, both human and inhuman. This allows the students to hear for themselves the messages and statements these entities put out They hear earthbound spirits giving accurate facts about themselves and their long-dead relatives.
“We also have them listen to voice recordings of some inhuman spirits, spitting out their blasphemies and threats and maledictions and predictions and boastings about the Other Kingdom, along with references by name to the ancient diabolical entities they serve. It’s strong stuff, I grant you. But do you know that Satanists form one of the fastest growing groups on college campuses these days? And many unsuspecting students are being drawn into that web because no one has ever given them any information to the contrary. The material we teach is factual and objective, and I guarantee you that none of our kids will ever become future victims of the negative. In fact, when it’s all said and done, they come up and say ‘Thank you for telling us. We would never have known otherwise.’”
XV
One More Question,
Please
It is no exaggeration to say that Ed and Lorraine Warren live very full lives. For one thing, they are rarely at home. Their lecturing and field work keep them “out in the world,” as Lorraine puts it, ten out of twelve months a year. One weekend a month, though, Ed and Lorraine manage to return to Connecticut and check in with home base.
On those weekends when the Warrens are at home, their house is a beehive of activity. Friends, relatives, and professional colleagues come and go like members of one big extended family.
When there are no visitors, it seems the phone is perpetually ringing, with calls coming in from all over America. And every call is urgent—or so it seems to those who do the calling.
“Pardon me,” says Lorraine, reaching over to answer the porch phone for the tenth time that hour. By chance, the telephone has been set on “broadcast” so the Warrens can both hear the call.
“Are you Lureen Wern, or Warn, or whatever?” asks a none-too-articulate woman, almost challenging Lorraine.
“I’m Lorraine Warren,” she replies, emphasizing the syllables. “May I ask your name, please?”
“Sure,” says the woman.
“What is it?” Lorraine is forced to ask.
“This is Celia Hayden.”
“Celia, is there something I can help you with?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m callin’, Lureen. Ain’t you the uh... clairboyalist that was on the radio last night in New Haven? You was talkin’ about knowin’ a ghost, and yer husband is a demonism or somethin'?”
“That’s close,” Lorraine replies patiently. “Is there something I can help you with, Celia?”
“Yup.”
“Then what is it?”
“Well, Lureen, I tell ya, this is serious! I mean I got a real mysterious problem here! Are you sure you’re the same one that was on the radio, and the cops ask you if you’ll go find them a murderer and then the cops go and arrest the guy at his house, right?”
“Right,” Lorraine answers, smiling. “Please tell me what your mysterious problem is, Celia. I’ve got work to do.”
“Okay, I just hope you got time for my case...”
“Go ahead so we can find out,” Lorraine coaxes her.
“Okay. Well, I put ’em right here on the stove, Lureen. I always warm ’em up before eatin’. And now they’re gone. They disappeared!”
“What disappeared?” asks Lorraine, now almost laughing.
“My false teeth? I always put’ em on the stove, and now some ghost or dee-mon took ’em. I can’t find them teeth no place. And I looked.”
Lorraine breaks into laughter. “That’s terrible,” she manages to say.
“What’s so funny, Lureen?” the irritated woman asks. “How am I gonna eat?”
“Celia,” Lorraine manages to answer, “I bet I can tell you where your false teeth are!”
“Where?” the woman asks eagerly,
“Take your right index finger and hold it up in the air in front of you. Got that, Celia?”
“What one?”
“Your right index finger—the finger on your right hand next to your thumb. Okay?”
“Okay,” the woman replies obediently.
“Now, put that finger in your mouth, and bite down easy. See, your teeth have been there all along.”
There is a long pause. “Jesus Christ, you’re right!” says the astonished woman. “You’re really good, Lureen. Wait’ll I tell Ernie about this....”
Click.
Lorraine, bemused by the incident, hangs up the phone, and then jokes, “What can I say? When you’re good, you’re good...”
Considering that no one in his right mind wants to wake up in the middle of the night to be confronted by a terrifying spirit at the foot of his bed, the question arises how can one prevent this phenomena from happening to him? That is, how can we be spared unpleasant confrontations with the supernatural?
When the Warrens lecture on demonology, they never fail to stress the fact that “doors must be opened before spirits can enter.” Customarily, these doors are opened through either the Law of Invitation or Attraction, as Lorraine reminds us.
“The Law of Invitation applies when people invite spirits into their life by performing some occult ritual or by deliberately trying to communicate with the spirit world through séances, rituals, and the like. Although inviting spirit contact often produces some ersatz communication from the other side, what isn’t commonly recognized is that the communicating entity isn’t always human—though it may profess to be—and it doesn’t always go away when the conjuring exercise is over.
“The Law of Attraction,” she goes on, “comes into play when an individual or family is drawn for some psychic reason to a particular place where infestation by negative spirits has already occurred. Conversely, obsessive negative thinking can also attract negative spirits, because the will is displayed as being open and vulnerable. But, be it the Law of Invitation or the Law of Attraction, some way or other the individual has left the door to his free will unlocked, either by not properly caring
about life, or by seeking beyond himself for powers that are not man’s. The point is, the demonic spirit is a spiritual beast with the wisdom of the ages and the power of angels. Your best bet is to avoid it, but you don’t do that by denying the fact that the phenomenon exists. Instead, you avoid it by knowing it’s there—so you can stay out of its way!”
Why is so much spirit activity centered around houses?
“Earthbound spirits prefer emotionally familiar places,” says Ed, joining the conversation on the front porch. “Therefore, they inhabit the same dwellings that were familiar to them during their physical lifetime. However, inhuman spirits exist to plague people, so they infest homes because that’s where people tend to be the most vulnerable to influence. There’s also another reason: buildings and dark places help contain spirit vibrations. Open spaces and bright light weaken spirit forces.”
Are old homes more apt to be haunted or infested than new ones?
“In general,” Lorraine replies, “older homes have a greater potential for being haunted because more living has gone on in them. But more important than the age of the house is its history. If there’s been a murder, a suicide, or some other form of tragic death in the house, then the chances of encountering earthbound spirit activity are enhanced. If a former owner has practiced black magic, sorcery, or witchcraft, then there’s a strong possibility that inhuman forces have been drawn into the home—and unless that home has been exorcised, negative spirits will remain to infest the dwelling. As for what you can do about avoiding a haunted or infested house, be suspicious when house-hunting. Be leery of houses that have remained vacant for long periods of time. Often houses remain empty because they really are unliveable. Talk to the neighbors about the house, or check around town and try to find out some scuttlebutt on it. Another thing: when you’re checking out a house, old or new, be aware of physical signs of a spirit presence. You might notice odd smells that are detectable but have no obvious source; or strange cold spots in rooms or areas where there would be no reason for a change in temperature. If you want to go a step further, ask a psychic friend to walk through the house with you.”
If you buy a house you’re not sure about, what can you do to minimize the chances of arousing a dormant spirit?
“Well, I’ll tell you a few tricks,” says Ed. “If there are a lot of bushes or evergreens outside the house blocking the windows, chop ’em down. Let the sun in! Inside, paint the walls white, yellow, or light blue. These colors interfere with spirit vibrations. Get rid of pictures and mementos of previous owners found in the attic or basement or garage. You might also consider selling mirrors and pieces of old furniture that came with the property, and it would also be a good idea to have the house blessed. But most of all, a happy family, a happy home is the best protection against evil. Negative emotions usually trigger spirit activity, so along with everything else, create an emotional atmosphere in the home where no problems can occur. Of course, it goes without saying that trouble shouldn’t be encouraged, so throw away any and all occult paraphernalia. This way a person can’t be encouraged, either through curiosity or oppression, to use it.”
If a person suspects he has a ghost in his house and wants no part of it, what would be the procedure to take?
“Make the physical environment bright, light, and cheery,” Lorraine answers. “Many times, just rearranging the furniture will turn off an active spirit. If that doesn’t work, consult a clergyman and have the house blessed. After these steps have been taken, if the problem persists, then go back to your clergyman and have him help solve the problem. Or, if you’re not religious, get in touch with a reputable psychic research organization who can put a clairvoyant on the case and send the spirit on its way. But under no circumstances should you speak to an unknown entity, no matter how pleasing a form it may take. And especially don’t hold a séance: that’s like using a CB radio. You may think you’re communicating with the haunting spirit, but in reality, a dozen, ten dozen different spirits may respond to the recognition you’re offering.”
If there is a spirit in one’s home, what are the telltale signs that distinguish an earthbound spirit from an inhuman one?
“A ghost may scare you,” Ed replies. “A demonic spirit will scare you—and eventually threaten your life. In the early stages, the phenomena associated with both human and inhuman spirits may be the same. Both types of spirit will seek to make their presence known by manipulating the physical environment. The difference is the nature of the activity associated with each. As a rule, ghosts will do things to the house, while demonic spirits will do things to people. One tries to scare you out of the house. The other tries to scare you out of your mind—truly. Ghosts will do weird, spooky, scary, or strange things, but only infrequently terrifying. A ghost will switch lights on and off, move small objects from room to room, or even project the sound of footsteps, shrieks, and cries. On occasion, a ghost will manifest itself, but that’s about it Earthbound-spirit activity tends to occur occasion ally. Strange things may happen, but it won’t be a wild fury. In short, the ghost cares about itself, not about you, so it will do things that may give you goose bumps, but not much more.
“If there’s an inhuman spirit in the house, on the other hand, that means the dwelling is now the realm of the demonic. Rarely if ever will an inhuman spirit manifest at the beginning. Instead, what should be looked for is truly sinister activity. The demonic is a negative spirit, so it eventually brings about un mistakably negative phenomena. At first, you’re liable to hear knocks, raps, poundings, and scratching noises that are designed to try your patience—and sanity. Foul smells or unaccountable feelings of terror may also be experienced at this stage. Also pay attention to the behavior of children and animals. Children are clairvoyant up to about the age of twelve; all animals are naturally clairvoyant. If children or animals have a bad reaction to the house, that’s a good sign of a spirit presence. Nevertheless, if the house is infested, then over the course of time the external phenomena will upgrade into openly noticeable activity that’s not just strange or scary, but downright terrifying. If allowed to do so, this negative activity will go on and increase in frequency, power, and negativity until it develops into nothing less than perpetual, all-out pandemonium. Naturally, the point is to be suspicious right from the beginning. If you notice strange or unnatural phenomena going on and do nothing about it, the infesting spirit will take it as permission to continue.
“As for internal oppression brought about by inhuman spirits, that will be noticed in terms of changes in thinking, habits, behavior, or personality. If the person lives alone, the best recommendation here is to ‘Know thyself.’ If the oppression is happening to only one member of the family, others should look for negative changes in the person: depression, morbid interests, reclusiveness—or excesses, like wild fits of anger, falling-down drunkenness, or bursts of destructive violence.”
If a person has reason to believe that an inhuman spirit actually is infesting his home, what should he do?
“Get out immediately,” says Ed. “Then go directly to a clergyman. Explain the problem in as much detail as possible, and then ask for his help. But under no circumstances should an individual act like an amateur demonologist or exorcist and parade around the house with blessed objects. That would only provoke a diabolical attack.”
Finally, given the odd chance that an individual must deal with a friend or relative who has actually come under possession, what would one do?
“It’s doubtful anyone would need to know this,” Ed answers, “but if the entity that comes through isn’t especially violent, but more accusatory or blasphemous, then call a clergy man. If the possessing entity is threatening and violent, leave the house and call the police. Then get hold of a clergyman. In either case, get help immediately. But don’t stay in the company of the possessed person alone.”
“As I tell the young priests I work with, that which is speaking is not the person but a diabolical entity. Therefore, refuse to g
ive it recognition. Do not speak to it. Concentrate on surrounding yourself with what we call a Christ-light, and then attempt to extricate yourself from the premises until someone like myself or an exorcist can go in and confront the entity.”
What would you say is the ultimate danger in dealing with the demonic?
“On the transitory level,” Ed replies, “the life you live would not be your own, but instead one directed by another. Throwing your will open to the demonic is to allow yourself to be its stooge. The ultimate danger, though, would be to allow your human spirit to absorb the reprehensible, blasphemous characteristics of the demonic—the enemy of being. For when this happens, the individual runs the potential risk of sharing the fate of these spirits of darkness: separation from the source of being. That would be the sobering danger of allowing yourself to be taken over by these negative spirits of perdition. You see, theologically, holy angels are the supreme ratification of life; but moving to the negative side, the demonic spirit is a corruption of nature—a spirit of perdition that, rather than affirming life, exists to destroy it. As a human being, therefore, you can choose to either be part of the problem—or part of the solution.”
The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren Page 28