THE QUESTION MARK OVER GHOSTS - THE SIGHTING OF GHOST OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Are Ghosts real ? Or are they just a figment of our imagination ? We hear a lot of stories about them being all around us but is there any conclusive confirmation ? What is their domain and what is their purpose in appearing before a chosen set of people and making startling revelations as regards their mutual relationships or past occurences in their previous lives ? These are the questions that remain to be answered thus keeping the issue mystified.

But first of all,let us understand the meaning of the word ghost.A Ghost may be referred to as the spirit of a dead person especially,one believed to appear in bodily likeness to living persons or to haunt former habitats.

One startling revelation came from a woman - Willowdean Vance who along with some friends claimed to have witnessed the spirit of one of the Founding Fathers of U.S.A. - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN while attending a metaphysical meeting in Santa Monica.

She recounts that as they sat listening to Rev. Don Cooper explain (AFTERLIGHT) by candlelight when suddenly the ceiling of the room lit up with a large silver and pink cloud that whirled around the ceiling with great energy.When it cleared they were pleasantly surprised to have a vision of the great Benjamin Franklin.

Willowdean was stunned when the spirit approached her and enquired sadly if she forgot her old friend.On being replied in the affirmative,he made a startling revelation about her past life.

He informed her that in previous life her name was Catherine Ray and she was his favourite correspondent.He also informed her that her letters to him were on file at the University of Pennsylvania.

He further informed her of his indebtness to her for adopting his young sister,JANE MEKOM,in Massachusetts during the revolution thereby saving her from being captured by keeping her as a relative in her family home at Long Island.He also informed her that later on he returned the favour by boarding her son Ray, in his Philadelphia home to attend school with his grandson,Temple.He also informed her of their family relationship that lasted long years.

Is there any plausible explanation for this ? Furthur Willowdean startles us by mentioning that from her very childhood she felt a very strong presence of Benjamin Franklin around her.

SIXTH SENSE

SIXTH SENSE may be said to be an extra sense in living beings which makes them capable of knowing the turn of events in the future and acting accordingly.It exists in the unconscious frame of mind in most humans and dies with them but in some humans and in animals like dogs,etc.,the sixth sense is more pronounced and developed which makes them capable of predicting future course of events and acting accordingly.Most of such predictions have proved to be true.

Isn't it paranormal that some of us can look into the future and see the events that are to occur - a role assigned to only the GODS and PROPHETS ? Is there any reasonable explanation to all this ?

If this is not paranormal enough,another fact has come to light and is being hotly debated in the scientific circles,that of animals and birds having a keen and well developed sixth sense.This conclusion has come to light through a keen observation and analysis of the reported death of animals and human beings in the tsunami of December 26,2004.The findings revealed that the number of human caracasses far exceeded those of animals.It was also discovered that just before the tsunami occured,the elephants began to wail,many of them even broke their chains and headed for higher ground.Flamingoes,leopards,tigers,monkeys and other smaller mammals and reptiles all escaped unharmed.

It cannot be a coincidence in itself .There is some paranormal explanation to it.

AMAZING COMMUNICATION FROM BEYOND

Some of the most compelling anecdotal evidence of life after death comes in the form of messages from the deceased loved ones.Sometimes these messages are relayed by full blown apparitions while at other times they come in form of voices,unseen hands and even written notes.These messages are comforting in nature and generally display the concern of the dead relatives towards the welfare of their living ones.

Here we consider some of the real life cases which are undeniable :

• Encounter with great-Grandfather:April's great grandfather was a very well respected baker and decorator of wedding cakes and she was very close to him.After his death,she was heartbroken and cut herself off from the world.One night she was awoken from a sound sleep and had the vision of her great grandfather who promised to her that he will always be by her side.He raised his hand and brought it down while making the promise.After the incident,she became an excellent baker gaining expertise in making and decorating cakes as well as preparing numerous desserts.

• Conversation with Brother:It was just another night of JUNE,1942 but on this particular night,George.D had a conversation with his brother which he would remember for his entire life.His brother was a fighter pilot operating from an air force base in Trinidad and was part of a mission to destroy German submarines. According to George,his brother said that he was going on a long trip and would not return.When George asked him if he could come with him,he said not for a long time.When George discussed this paranormal experience with his mother and sister they dismissed it as a dream.But several days later his family,was informed of his brother's death in a plane crash on June 7,1942.George recounts that many years later,when he was wounded and delirious during World War II and admitted for medical care,the only things he could remember was his brother's name,serial number and military organisation identification.He says that he is still waiting for his brother's permission to go on his long trip.

Sounds miraculous doesn't it.Still don't believe in afterlife ? Well then you better call it DRAMA IN REAL LIFE.

HINDUISM AND REINCARNATION

Hinduism is amongst the oldest and the greatest religions of the world.It is also considered by the experts to be a very practical religion based on pragmatic foundations.It also developed from a rich and culturally far advanced Aryan civilisation.

Reincarnation is amongst the basic foundations of Hinduism.In fact,both of them go hand in hand.This can be gauged by a thorough study of their religious scriptures especially the VISHNU PURAN and the BHAGVAD GITA which underscore the importance of reincarnation and rebirth.While the VISHNU PURAN mentions the ten reincarnations (avatars) of Lord VISHNU taken to protect the Mother Earth from the chaos and anarchy caused by the non believers and perpetrators of destruction of living beings,the BHAGVAD GITA which contains the voice of the Supreme Lord KRISHNA HIMSELF,lays down the importance of KARMA and total submission to HIM as the human being can only perform an action;the determination of the outcome is not under his control.The Lord also advices the humans to be noble and perform good actions as their afterlife is determined by their actions.

Thus we see that KARMA or one's actions in past life is the real determinant of one's reincarnation or afterbirth according to the holiest of the holy scriptures,the BHAGVAD GITA.

Hindu philosophy has a strong faith in immortality of the soul.It lays down that even though death is the ultimate reality for those who are born,it is not an end in itself.Rather it is the interegnum between the present life and the one to follow after it.

According to the BHAGVAD GITA, the soul is immortal.It just changes its abode from one body to another.In every life it performs certain actions which decide its birth.This cycle of being born and dying continues for billions of afterbirths right from an insect to a human being till the soul reaches its ultimate goal that is,salvation or reunion of the soul (atma) with the supreme (parmatma).

Thus,we see that the Hindus have a very scientific and well defined approach towards reincarnation.Their belief in reincarnation is rock solid supported by their holy scriptures.

REINCARNATION -SCIENTIFIC PROOFS

Reincarnation/rebirth/afterbirth whatever you call it has long been considered to be a figment of imagination or a myth propagated by religious sources.Until recently,science had stoutly refused to entertain any theories of reincarnation calling it a propaganda but in the recent past, some events have come to light which have challenged this conclusion and have stirred a debate in the scientific circles as regards existence of paranormal and abstract happenings that challenge the extreme depths of our imagination.There have been many such events of afterlife which have proved to be true be it in terms of memories related to past life or scars on the body obtained due to violent death in the past life.

Here we consider a case which has laid at rest any kind of doubt as regards the authenticity of reincarnation as it has been proved through scientific tests only.This case was brought to light by Diba Ayten Yilmaz,a Past Life Regression Therapist from Turkey.

It is the case of a 39 year old woman,a computer engineer employed in IBM,Turkey.In their first meeting, the woman mentioned her growing love and affection for Russia since childhood.She found herself to be a woman in Russia in her first Past Life Regression Therapy session.

Her DNA sample was sent to Genographic Project of National Geographic.And guess what ? Her origin was traced to Russia !

At the second Regression session,she found herself to be a young woman in a small village,which she referred to as Lappland.She had been killed by the German soldiers alongwith the entire village.

After extensive searches from the internet,Lappland was discovered to be in Sweden.

The fact that the German soldiers had exterminated all the villagers during the last phase of the World War II was also true.

In fact the most amazing and undoubtedly the most stunning revealation of all was that after the session when she checked the update of her Genographic Report with the National Geographic the DNA journey showed a connection to Lappland!

Are you still skeptical ? Well like it or not, there is enough proof that paranormalities do exist in this universe.In fact they are an integral part of it.

REINCARNATION - FACT OR FICTION

Reincarnation- is there any such phenomenon or is it a hoax spread by uneducated minds and fatalists.Do you believe in reincarnation ? Not quite ? Well check this out.

The best historical example of reincarnation is considered to be that of former U.S. Presidents John F Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln.

The reasons for this are obvious.

• Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846 while Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

• Lincoln was elected President in 1860 while Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

• Lincoln served in the military as an officer in the Black Hawk War while Kennedy served in the military as an officer in the World War ll.

• Lincoln was runner-up for nomination of Vice-President in 1856 while Kennedy was the runner-up for the post of Vice-President in 1956.

• Lincoln ran as a minority party candidate and was considered to be a long shot for Presidency.Same was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln was uncharacteristically younger than his Vice-President.Similar was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln won the election with less than 50% of the popular vote.Exactly similar was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln was over 6 ft tall and a notable athelete.Kennedy's features were exactly the same.

• Lincoln had droopy eyelids which would sometimes cause one eye to deviate.Same was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln suffered from genetic diseases including depression.Same was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln married while in his 30s to a 24 year old dark-haired woman;who had been previously engaged to someone else;who came from a socially prominent family;who was fluent in French language;and was known for her exquisite taste and fashion sense-Mary Todd.Exactly same was the case with Kennedy whose wife Jaqueline Lee Bouvier had exactly same features and tastes,was dark haired and married at the age of 24 to Kennedy who was in his 30s.

• Lincoln had 4 children,2 of whom died before becoming a teen.Exactly same was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln lost a very close sister before becoming President.Same was the case with Kennedy.

• Lincoln was the friend of an Illinois Democrat named AdlaiE.Stevenson Kennedy was also the friend of an Illinois Democrat with the same name.

• Lincoln had a friend and advisor named William Graham.Kennedy also had a friend and spiritual advisor named William(Billy)Graham.

• Lincoln's successor Andrew Johnson was born in 1808 not far from Johnson City,Tennessee,in a poor family and his father worked as a janitor.Kennedy's successor Lyndon Johnson was born in 1908 not far from Johnson City,Texas,in a poor family and his father also worked as a janitor.

• Lincoln as well as Kennedy were both assasinated while serving as President.

• Lincoln was shot from behind,in the head in Ford's Theater while sitting in box 7 with another couple of whom one was seriously injured.Kennedy was shot from behind,in the head in a Ford Lincoln while riding in car 7 with another couple of whom one was seriously injured.

• On the day of assasination,Lincoln was wearing clothes from Brook Brothers.Kennedy was also wearing clothes from the same brand on the day of his assasination.

• Lincoln died on the Good Friday just before a Holiday(Easter)Kennedy died on the Friday just before a Holiday(Thanksgiving).

• Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth stood 5ft,8 inches tall.He was an excellent swordsman and is one of the most notorious assassins in recorded history. and nearlyDischarged striking him in the thigh and nearly missing his femoral artery.Took weeks of recuperation until he was able to return to work.

Kennedy's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald stood 5ft,8 inches tall.He was an excellent sharpshooter and is one of the most notorious assassins in recorded history.Oswald shot himself when a pistol fell from his locker to the floor and accidently discharged striking him in the upper arm.

Finally,both martyrs' funeral services were held in the East Room of the White House where all of the windows,mirrors and chandeliers were draped in black silk.Both Lincoln and Kennedy were buried in a mahogany casket.