Dreams and Fantasies, Magic and Ghosts.

The Petshani is my first dip into the world of magic with witchs and gypsies. Surprising though, because it's something I've always been fascinated by. I've read books on Wicca, on WItchcraft, on Greek Gods, and Gypsy Lore. I've traveled the world and experienced some things that have me completely convinced that there is magic around us. Only not everyone can see/feel it.

One time, when I was living in South Africa, I had an encounter with a ghost. I'd just gotten a job at a backpackers retreat running their bar, and had moved into the staff loft. I had a South African surf instructor on one side of my room, and a Swiss handy man on the other. (Yes some day I do plan to write about my travel experiences.*wink*) Anyway, sometime during my first week there I was lying on my bed in the middle of the afternoon, trying to catch a bit of sleep. (Now remember I ran a bar, and the bar was open from 6 pm, until whenver we stopped drinking, sometimes after sunrise..so sleeping in the afternoon was okay) On this day, I couldn't sleep. everytime I closed my eyes, I felt a prescence on top of me, pinning me to the bed with my covers. Not evil or hurtful, but not in an erotic way either. It was very wierd. OH, and I should mention I didn't have any covers on.

Finally, after the third time of this "You're imagining things" lecture to myself, I jumped from bed and went in search of Grant, the surfer. I asked him point blank, "Is there somthing you should tell me about that room?"

He looked up at me, brushed his long blonde hair form his eyes and looked at me curiously. "Why?"

Not, "No." or "What do you mean?" But "Why?"

So I told him what was going on. He said. "Go sleep onth hammock, and I'll fix it."

The next morning when I stumbled into my room to go to bed, there was a home made dreamcatcher, of sorts, hanging over my doorway. I went to bed, no problems. When I saw Grant again I asked him what it was. He said it was made of Willow branches and blessed by the local wiseman. That's it. No one ever told me what the ghost was, or what happend in the past. But I never felt that spirit again.

About three months after that, I was with one of our backpacker tours in a nearby "cultural village" (It wasn't truly where the villagers lived, but it was a re-creation. And there was a ceremony with the Elders. (A dance around a fire sort of thing) At the end of the ceremony one of the Elders walked straight up to me, touched my shoulder and said something in a language I couldn't understand. Grant, who had been across the room, came over and introduced me. It was the wiseman who had made the spiritcharm in my room. Him and Grant spoke quietly for a minute, and the man smiled at me gently before walking away. Grant turned to me and said, "He said not to worry about the spirits that follow you. They're not angry."

I was a bit freaked. And to be honest, a bit flattered. Apparently I have spirits around me. Nice ones. It explains a lot. lol

Still, no matter what I do or how hard I try, I can't seem to contact them, except occassional dreams that remind me of that day in South Africa. I can't even say for sure those dreams are spirits, only that they make me think of the day I was told I had them around me. But, I often wonder if I had any magic abilities what the possablitlies could be.

The Petshani is the start of what I hope will be many adventures for a heroine that does have magic powers, and a dream lover. Because really, all that limits any of us, is our imagination. That’s the magic of writing.

"Advenure, is worthwile in itself."
~ Amelia Earhart