A few weeks ago, Cooper started talking about someone named "Mara." We were out on our front balcony one evening and he said he wanted to go see Mara. I asked him who Mara was and he would only say, "Mara is Mara." Just for fun I looked up Mara on the internet, and it turns out that Mara is the name of a demon that tempted the Buddha while he was sitting under the Bodhi Tree. She's also the Hindu goddess of death, among other things. Anyway, I digress.
I found that information rather chilling, but chalked it up to coincidence.
So, last night, I was in the dining room with Cooper and he said, "Let's go see Mara!" So, I followed him into the living room and I sat down and tried to get more information on Mara, and Cooper gave his standard "Mara is Mara!" Then he told me that Mara was sleeping under our bed.
(Chills).
We quietly went in the bedroom and Cooper retrieved these exercise balls from under the bed that he wanted to stack up (like Frosty the Snowman). He whispered the whole time, and was very careful not to disturb Mara. He told me that sometimes Pepper (our dog) "woofs" at Mara. It was all kind of freaky.
Here are some of the questions we asked Cooper followed by his responses:
Q: What color hair does Mara have? Is it blond, brown, red, or black?
A: Red.
Q: What color eyes does Mara have?
A: Red. (He told us later that Mara was entirely red).
Q: Does Mara talk to you?
A: Yes, but not to you and Daddy.
Q: Does Mara scare you?
A: No.
Q: Is Mara nice?
A: Not nice.
We told him that Mara was not welcome in our house, and that she had to leave. To which Cooper defiantly replied "Mara IS welcome in our house."
We told him that Mara had to go home to see her family, and Cooper told us that, "This IS Mara's home."
So, what are we supposed to do with all that??? I mean, granted, Cooper's not even 3 years old yet, and he has a good imagination and all, but he's been consistent about the existence of this Mara character for awhile now. It's just hard getting information out of him. But, you know, there have been some weird happenings at our house in the 8 years we've lived there, and sometimes Pepper does bark and growl for no apparent reason. For the most part I never really worried about it. I mean, the house is old, and we live a stone's throw from a 300 acre cemetery. My feeling was always that if we had a ghost or two, they were probably there before we were and, as long as they didn't do anything harmful or threatening then live and let live (so to speak, heh heh...) But, if there really is a red-eyed thing that sleeps under our bed and talks to our son then I think maybe it's time to take a new approach.
23 comments:
quite the little conundrum you have there Kenny!
Depending on if you are a religious person, I would say have someone come excersise the demon!
But seeing as this is the real world and giving the ghost a good shack of a bible and saying "hocus pocus" won't do much. A few days ago I watched in awe as a three year old girl played house. There had to be four or five voices in her head and they seemed to be ordering her around, making her do house work.
General knowledge led me to believe that his girl was just playing with her imaginary friend, or had a serious psychosis!
So adding that to your situation...I would think that your child is just highly imaginative!
But just to be safe, I say you continue to discuss the demon with your child, not in a threatening or authoritative sense, as defiance is the only answer to that, but try playing along with your child. Next time the child mentions the ghost ask if you can play with it as well.
If nothing else you may be able to squeeze some more information out about Mara.
Perhaps the demon is residing there because it is watching over the cemetery, or perhaps it is simply a ghost with unfinished business. Ask your child to talk to Mara about why she is there, and what she is doing.
Just make sure you don't make it seem like you are trying to get rid of it! No child is willing to give up their imaginary friend without a fight!
So help the demon get out of the house rather than help your child realize the sad, unimaginative reality of the world around them...
Just a thought...
-Steve
Creepy, creepy, creepy; I got the chills the whole time I read that, and my office-mate is real freaked out, too.
A couple thoughts. I know a really good shaman, who could help; she's on the east coast, but she does clearings over the phone (it really does work!)
Also, there's a clearing ritual (that same shaman taught me), where you get a glass of water, and you imagine filling it with light (can be any color, I usually use gold), and once it feels like the water is filled up with the light, just sprinkle it anywhere that does not feel clear or pure. I've done that at several apartments when I've first moved in, and it helps, although this spirit might be tuffer to get rid of. Lemme know if you want that shaman's contact info!
Spooky, indeed. I got chills.
Hmmmm... lower the bed to the floor so Mara can't sleep there anymore.
If there is a particular religious/spritual tenet that you follow, I don't think it would be out of line to have them come over and just "clear the air" so to speak. Mrs. Roomie did that at every new place she moved into. I did not ask if she did it when she moved in with me. If she did, it took place when I was not at home. Otherwise, I'd just let Cooper work it out. It most likely is just his imagination.
This is a demon that can only be cast out of your home in Jesus' name. Shamans only compound the problem.
To totally get rid of the demon, you need the authority of Jesus. It takes a Christian praying in his name. There is no other way.
If you ask for a Shamans help, you'll just get other spititual problems in the place of this one.
*spiritual
Call Century 21 Real Estate. Now.
Our oldest son had an invisible friend. It was a tiny dog that fit in the palm of his hand and I would often find him in a corner somewhere talking to it. Eventually the puppy disappeard.
Later, when tested for I.Q., it was off the charts for imagination and literature.
I think the only demon that needs exorcising here, is the eery feeling you have. Let your own demons go and learn to talk to Mara. She'll leave.
Then get ready to pay for TAG classes in early elementary!
Tell Cooper that Mara fought with the Americans in World War II and is currently fighting evil in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, a fine action-packed flick soon to be released in theaters across the United States on July 11, 2008.
Hope this helps.
"Ghosthunters" show. It's either on Sci Fi or TLC on Weds and then repeats. Seriously. Not some cheesy "who ya gonna call..." crap. Regular people call them from all over the country. Usually it ends up being nothing, but not always..............
Kenny,
Boo!
Peace,
Matt
This isn't an "imaginary friend".
One of my best friends had a child that could see into the spirit world. She would see demons sitting on the top of their house. My friend moved out of that place and the child never saw the demons again.
Kenny, perhaps you can make an offering to the goddess Mara. I'm positive that you can find info online. Or check out the cementary to see if there is a Mara there and bring her flowers. You want to make peace. You can also burn sage in your home to clear negative energy and you can also place a clear glass of water under your bed. Good luck but don't fear.
Kenny, perhaps you can make an offering to the goddess Mara. I'm positive that you can find info online. Or check out the cementary to see if there is a Mara there and bring her flowers. You want to make peace. You can also burn sage in your home to clear negative energy and you can also place a clear glass of water under your bed. Good luck but don't fear.
If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.
Reading this post in the dark was NOT a bright idea. :( Pretty creepy stuff...good luck with the excorcism. You should definitely look into that.
Hey Everybody,
Thanks for the concern, advice, and comedy!
Update: Cooper said that Mara left and went far away and wouldn't come back. The next day he said that she was still there (at our house). I think there's a big imagination component to all of this, but, again, the history of strange goings-on at our house makes it all a little more spooky. We're less creeped out about Mara now, but we're keeping an eye on things...
And I'm keeping an eye on things, too...
we'll need to run some "tests" on your son so please bring him in as soon as possible.
pretty creepy story. i'm sure its just some weird rat named mara who eats Cooper's cheese sandwiches.
NYA NYAS
we are looking for a new house-
one that we looked at is on a haunted "block" -it seems people up & down that street have seen a little girl (horse & buggy accident!) in their homes, but fortunately the living room was too small so we are not buying it.
but as a kid i spent summers in my aunt & uncle's 200-year-old farmhouse with indian (er, native american) skeletons buried under the porch. and i am a total chickenshit.
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