By Chin Mui Yoon, The Star/ANN | Tue, Jan 11 2011
Augustine Towonsing, founder of Malaysian Ghost Research, explains why we should not be afraid of ghostly visitors.
UNEXPLAINABLE noises emanating from the strangest places. Electrical appliances going on and off for no apparent reason.
So you have reason to believe that your hotel room is haunted. It's too late to find another place and there's no other room available for the night. What's next?
Paranormal expert Mr Augustine Towonsing, the founder of Malaysian Ghost Research, shares his opinions on how hotels are haunted and dishes out advice on what to do.
Why do former guests or employees haunt hotels?
There are many reasons why ghosts haunt a place, and it need not be a hotel, as ghosts are everywhere. A ghost basically haunts a place due to some unfinished business.
Findings by Malaysian Ghost Research show that the main reasons ghosts anchor to a place are because they committed suicide there; are victims of violent or sudden death; are confused spirits; or are addicted to something in their previous life.
If a ghost haunts a place, it is simply due to a “silent death”, in that the spirit returns to figure out what had happened to him or her. The place then becomes haunted until the spirit reaches a personal realisation of his demise.
Why don’t these departed guests return to their own homes?
Departed guests have the free will to remain in a place or to leave. However, this only applies to those who have reached a state where they realise they are already dead. Spirits who are still in a confused state, in that they do not know whether they are dead or alive, would remain in a particular place until they attain realisation or accept the fact that they are dead. Only then can they choose to leave for the spirit world.
Are there signs or warnings for guests to know that a hotel is haunted?
Generally, there are no signs indicating a hotel is haunted. But there are signs where particular areas or rooms are haunted.
From my own experience and my family’s, the most basic sign a room has an unseen occupant would be the presence of some kind of smell; you feel uneasy or feel that you are being watched, you hear someone’s movements or see someone when nobody is inside the room. Sometimes, an extreme drop in temperature may occur.
What should we do when we realise our room is haunted, or when faced with a ghost in the night?
If you feel the room is haunted, you should ask to change rooms. If none is available, then you have to do something about it because once you realise that a room is haunted, you are already intruding someone’s “private home”.
Therefore, you need to apply a few basic rules. First, be open-minded that ghosts are “people”, too, in spirit form. Secondly, immediately greet the “home owner” and introduce yourself, state your purpose and explain how long you intend to stay.
Always show respect when communicating with ghosts. You can also ask the ghost(s) concerned to mark a particular spot in the room, so that you will know the exact place that they consider their “private and confidential” spot.
When you leave the place, always thank the “home owner”. You do not need to do this if there are no signs or warnings that the room is occupied by an unseen being. Never show disrespect, unless you are willing to go through an unpleasant welcome from the “home owner”.
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