The case of the unfamiliar footprint–new elementals around us

By: Jaime T. Licauco
Philippine Daily Inquirer

One reason people think the occurrence of strange and extraordinary paranormal phenomena is rare, is that those who have experienced them often refuse to talk about them for fear of either being laughed at or considered insane.
What’s worse is that the ultra-conservative Catholic Church, the predominant religion in this country, condemns everything it does not understand to be the work of the devil.
I don’t believe paranormal and psychic phenomena to be rare or unnatural occurrences, because so many people from all walks of life have been reporting such incidents to me almost on a daily basis during the last 20 or 25 years. People who normally would not talk about these strange occurrences do not hesitate to tell me their stories, because they know that I will not consider them to be either crazy or merely making them up.
Because of this, I found myself to have become the unofficial central information agency or the CIA for strange, unusual and unexplainable phenomena in the Philippines.
Recent example
Let’s take a look at one recent example. Dino, a businessman who is converting a former bakeshop into a spa and massage parlor south of Manila, showed me some 20 photos of strange footprint-like markings that appeared on a signboard lying on the floor. When the first footprint appeared, he took a picture of it. After a few minutes, there were suddenly three of them and then five, and then numerous footprints of various sizes.
Then the markings appeared on other parts of the rooms being renovated. The marks did not disappear, but on the contrary seemed to be getting more numerous until they filled several boards.
Several days later, Dino called me and said another strange thing happened. He was upstairs one evening with five of his staff while one male staff slept on the sofa downstairs. Suddenly all those upstairs felt a presence and shortly afterwards heard the doors downstairs slam shut. So they all rushed down but saw the two doors to be locked. These doors, according to Dino, led to the entrance where the markings were found.
The male staff who was sleeping downstairs was already knocking on the other side of the door. When they opened it, they saw he had the footprint-like mark on his right cheek. The marking was made of powder which they had earlier spread on the floor to make the footprints visible. Dino said it looked like the powder was permanently attached on the feet of the creatures roaming around the place.
I sent two of our paranormal services consultants to the place to investigate. The former bakeshop had been vacant for two months before Dino rented it. They were not able to talk to the previous occupants.
Strange incident
They reported that the creatures turned out to be a group of elementals who were not really violent or negative. The therapist who got angry with them apologized and it was accepted. They only asked for milk as offering, which was done.
However, another strange incident happened two days after that. One worker was painting the place where the markings were first found. An invisible creature stepped on the green paint and walked towards the wall. Even the worker’s T-shirt had green paint markings at the back, and then the creature walked upstairs.
“We all saw the footprints made of green paint. Later, we saw the worker’s T-shirt had six footprint markings already,” said Dino. The worker felt nothing while the creature was walking on him with green paint, according to Dino.
The spa owner and the elemental creatures agreed to co-exist and promised not to bother each other. It is fortunate that Dino understood the need to live with the creatures and not be scared of them. Meanwhile, the markings had stopped and the renovation went on without any other strange incidents, but from time to time they would see some figures moving in the room, as caught by the closed circuit TV camera Dino had installed.
We would not have known that incidents such as this had happened if it were not reported by this businessman, and no one had investigated it.
Not ordinary
One observation about these markings is that they do not really look like footprints of ordinary elementals which are usually like a child’s footprints. These markings had four toes instead of five and it was reported they had a strange pattern or whorl with a cut on the middle. In other words, the footprints were not really footprints.
A clairvoyant, exorcist and healer who works with us in such cases said there are lately new types of elementals and creatures that are coming to the Philippines from other countries. One looks like the small fairy called Tinkerbell in Disney films. Another looks like the leprechaun found in Ireland and other western countries.
When I asked why such creatures are coming to this land instead of staying in their highly developed and advanced countries, he said he didn’t know. I have no explanation either.

Source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/7067/the-case-of-the-unfamiliar-footprint%E2%80%93new-elementals-around-us

They don’t know yet that they’re dead

“I AM still in a state of shock,” said Nica, a nurse in a Quezon City hospital. “I hope you can explain this thing that happened to me a few days ago.”
Nica wrote in her letter to this column:
“Three days ago I met a patient in the hospital named Sarah. I noticed she was always alone. And so I befriended her. Sarah was different from an ordinary 12-year-old child, because she talked like an adult.
“She told me she wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up, but she lost her leg in an accident. Whenever I had free time, I would see her in Suite no. 4.
“Whenever I was there, she would always ask me to get her music box inside a side drawer and play it for her.
“This evening, at exactly 7, a woman came and asked a male nurse if she could get something her daughter had left in Suite no. 4 which was very important to her. The male nurse instead requested me to accompany the woman, since I often visited that room.
“I thought the occupant of that room would not mind if we just went to check something that was left behind by another patient.
“When I opened the door, I was surprised that Sarah wasn’t there anymore. The room was clean, as if unused. The woman who followed me went directly to the side drawer, opened it, and found the music box. She said it belonged to her daughter, who was released from the hospital on May 14.
“She said her daughter had an accident while riding with her uncle on his motorcycle, which hit an electric post.
“When I heard that, I couldn’t speak. As the woman left, I rushed to the morgue downstairs and asked the man in charge if there was a 12-year-old girl named Sarah who was brought there. I was shocked when I saw the file that Sarah was declared dead at 2:30 p.m on May 12.”
Nica, what happened to you is not really strange or impossible. I would not even say that it is rare. Similar things have been experienced by many people, but they don’t talk about these things for fear that people might think they are making things up or imagining them.
Catapulted
People who die suddenly and unexpectedly also get into a state of shock. They are suddenly catapulted from the physical to the spiritual world without any warning or preparation. They are not aware that they are already in the spirit world. They still act and behave as they did when still alive.
They may visit the usual place where they used to live, work, or play. It would take some time for them to realize and accept that they have already left their mortal bodies, and that they are no longer on the physical plane.
It is not true that the spirits of the dead stay for 40 days on earth, then go elsewhere. This period varies from person to person, depending on his state or level of consciousness. Some may linger on the earth plane for years, like Elvis Presley, who was still being seen in Memphis more than 20 years after he died. Some spirits ascend to the higher planes immediately after death, and are seen or heard no more.
The fact that you saw and talked to the dead Sarah as if she was alive and in a solid form means that your clairvoyant vision, or what is popularly called the Third Eye, is open. You are a medium or channel of the spirit, whether you believe this or not.
My opinion is bolstered by the story you related in your second e-mail to me before I could even answer your first one. This was about the time you were on a bus on your way home, when you blacked out (actually you went into a trance state) and found yourself in a strange place with horse carriages. Then a man approached you and called you Corazon. Immediately you went back to your normal self in the present time, still on the bus riding back home. You had a glimpse of your past life.

Source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/2297/they-don%E2%80%99t-know-yet-that-they%E2%80%99re-dead

My new book on ‘Everything You Want to Know About Ghosts (But Were Afraid to Ask)’

By: Jaime T. Licauco
Philippine Daily Inquirer

“I’m sure you know there are already so many books written about ghosts,” said a wide reader and scholarly friend of mine. “So why write another one?”
“I know that,” I replied. “But most of the books available locally are written by Western authors relating experiences with ghosts in their own countries. No doubt many of these books are interesting, too, but they are nevertheless foreign to us.
“I wanted to write about things that happen to our fellow Filipinos in the Philippines and provide answers to the numerous questions I have been asked by readers of this column and by listeners to my weekly radio program over DZMM during the last 15 years.”
I realized that our people’s fascination with ghosts and other inhabitants of the spirit world has not waned. On the contrary, it has been increasing. Many questions keep on being asked of me year in and year out.
And this is what gave rise to the idea of writing my latest book, which I called “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Ghosts (But Were Afraid to Ask).” This 17th book of mine is published by Anvil Publishing Inc., which has also published most of my previous books. And it will be launched today, July 19, 6 p.m., at the National Book Store branch in Glorietta 5, Ayala Center, Makati City.
Two parts
The introduction was written by my fellow PDI Lifestyle columnist and good friend, Cory Quirino.
Tonight’s book launching will consist of welcome remarks by Anvil’s assistant general manager and CEO, Karina Bolasco, and an invocation to be read by well-known celebrity dermatologist Vicki Belo, who is also a graduate of my courses before she became a household word.
This will be followed by Cory Quirino, who will relate her many encounters with spirits of the dead since she was 12 years old. Movie actor and environmentalist Roy Alvarez will introduce yours truly. Lastly, it’ll be my turn for a brief speech. During the book signing, cocktails will be served, courtesy of Annabel Tanco of the famous Bizu restaurant in Makati.
The book consists of two distinct but complementary parts. The first consists of commonly asked questions about ghosts, and the second contains true stories and personal encounters with ghosts by ordinary individuals, some of whom didn’t believe ghosts existed before their extraordinary encounters with them.
Questions
Some of the questions answered in this book are:
1. “Do ghosts have emotions?”
2. “Do they grow old?”
3. “Is it true the newly departed person stays for 40 days before he leaves?”
4. “Is it possible for ghosts to make a phone call?”
5. “What does the afterlife look like?” etc.
Part 2 of the book consists of 20 amazing stories and essays, such as text messages from the dead, inanimate objects coming to life, paranormal happenings in the work place, spirits that have sex with humans, my own encounters with ghosts and many more.

Source:  http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/5991/my-new-book-on-%E2%80%98everything-you-want-to-know-about-ghosts-but-were-afraid-to-ask%E2%80%99