Many hauntings are merely visitations from branches of the family tree.
By Rebecca Nidey
Everything I Need To Know I Learned In A Haunted House
As I am writing this column we are heading into the Memorial Day weekend.
The Illinois Spring has been having mood swings but finally seems to be settling into a normal weather pattern. Since it is sunny and warm I have been outside doing yard work. My father loved trees so my yard has trees of several varieties scattered around our family home, most of which he lovingly planted.
As I worked outside, I could hear the breeze making the leaves whisper to each other. My hands kept busy but my mind wandered and a thought occurred to me. Whoever coined the term “family tree” was very perceptive. Families give us both roots and branches. To further illustrate this concept, I decided to learn more about trees.
Did you know that trees absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen? A 30 meter tall tree can produce enough oxygen to support two people for a year. A tree actually grows faster as it ages and their capabilities grow at the same pace. In essence, a tree creates a better atmosphere for those around it. Have you ever left your family for some reason….college, travel, a new job? When you return home you might feel as if you can take a deep breath because you are once again in that safe and familiar place where your roots lie.
If you spend any time at all outdoors you know that trees are good for the environment in general and for wildlife most particularly. An English Oak can support over 280 species of insects and 320 species of lichen. In turn, these forms of life provide food for many birds and other smaller mammals. When an English Oak is around 40 years old, it starts producing acorns which creates more food sources for larger animals. Not only do families create roots to provide stability, they encourage you to branch out. In turn, that which your family taught and fostered in you is now providing for those you come in contact with.
Should you ever find yourself lost and you are around trees, they can actually help you find proper directions. You more than likely have heard that moss grows on the shadier northern side of a tree. A tree that had been cut can also show direction by the rings of growth. In the northern hemisphere the rings will be thicker on the southern side of the tree which generally receives more light. Once again, just like a tree, family can give us direction. They often give us a compass point to aim at both morally and physically.
Not only do trees create energy, just as all living things do, but they save energy also. The shade of a tree can lower energy consumption in both heating and cooling. They also excrete water into the atmosphere. I personally have basked in the warmth provided by my family and rested under the cool shade of their loving branches while I renewed my spirit. It is my hope that you all have had those moments also.
Did you realize that trees have mechanisms of communication and self-defense? The findings in some studies done by scientists are that, when attacked by insects, some trees can produce chemicals that repel their enemies. Not only do they fight off the attacks, they are able to create a means to signal other nearby trees through the air and root systems. In times of trouble, a good family pulls together and creates a united front.
Scientists believe that the oldest living organism on Earth is the “Pando” colony of Quaking Aspen located in Utah… also known as the Trembling Giant. This group of trees is estimated to cover over 103 acres and weighs around 6,600 tons. Not only is it the oldest living organism, it is most likely the heaviest also. The tree trunks share identical genetic makeup and are completely linked together by the root system which is well over 80,000 years old. It is mind boggling to realize that there are living things that are this old and so interrelated. However, it is not too large a leap to realize that it is so with humans also. We have roots and branches both close and far reaching. With all the web sites on the internet it is often possible to find relatives across the street, country, or world.
To bring the subject back closer to home and the more personal, as I worked under my trees today I realized how much they represent families. The winter was hard here and I lost many branches from my beautiful trees. As I bent to pick them up, I was able to observe the sprouts of new trees growing both in my yard and those of the neighbors. As is natural, the trees sent out new life into the world via the wind and other living things. And as is natural, some of the trees lost branches or their lives to the storms of life or old age. Soon enough those sprouts will become tall trees that provide the shade of love and protection to those that come in contact with them.
Lest you think that this is no longer a paranormal column, I want to remind my readers of something. Many hauntings are merely visitations from branches of the family tree. Spirits may linger to protect and shelter those who share their genes. Anyone who knows me well has heard me use the term “family of the heart.” Through the years, I have found that you do not have to share blood ties to be family. Love and caring can build roots and branches also.
As a paranormal researcher and history lover, I often visit cemeteries. In this area, many are old country cemeteries and a few have been created solely for families. No matter what kind of burial ground it is, there are almost always family groupings….what I call family trees of stone. In most of these graveyards you will find very old, very large trees. Perhaps the trees were already there when the cemeteries were started, or they were planted afterward to provide shade and beauty to those visiting the places of final rest. I prefer to think that the trees are living reminders of the families buried in these places, a symbol of the roots and branches that continue to survive just like the spirits of those who lie under those stones.
About the Author:
Through her work on the investigative team for the Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunters, Rebecca Nidey has an understanding of the paranormal, spiritual, and metaphysical worlds and how they work together.
Rebecca has trained in the Healing Touch technique (a form of energy healing). She is a certified Psychic Medium trained by Belle Salisbury, and she is a certified Paranormal Researcher.
Rebecca is the associate editor for Bellesprit Magazine and also writes a column titled Everything I Need To Know I Learned In A Haunted House. She has been a co-host of several radio programs for the Haunted Voices Radio Network and HeyZ Radio Network highlighting the Paranormal, metaphysical and literary fields.
To learn more about Rebecca or to schedule a reading you can contact her at https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.nidey.
