Halloween is a great holiday. Aside from the constant rhythm of interruptions, remnants of mischief night, leaves that haven’t been raked, and the memories of Halloweens past, Halloween raises doubt. The idea of ghouls and ghosts come to the forefront. The 1500 some odd FiOS channels I have are filled with documentaries on spooky things. This morning I watched the end of one of my favorite movies called The Mothman Prophecies. Of course, when I speak of doubt in this way, I mean that for the most part, people do not believe in these unscientific things. Yes, some people admit to believing in ghosts, but they rarely delve into the mysteries of life, wondering whether or not the ghost has a consciousness or if it is simply a residual energy that may appear as an innocent hologram. People are interested, but they go back to their daily lives, and see delving into these matters as temporary and as entertainment.

Oh to believe fully and wholeheartedly. In the Bible, it is written that if man had faith as small as a mustard seed he could move mountains. At the EST training I did in the seventies, I learned that understanding comes from experiencing what is, and that anything believed is a lie. I remember reading Woerner Ehrhard’s teachings that suggests understanding is the booby prize. And of course, today, there is the notion that being in the now is the only thing we really have.

Still, I doubt my experiences and want a semblance of an explanation for everything that happens. At the end of it all is the desire for proof that indeed, there is life after death. On some level, mortality is what human beings fight against. There is a reason for us to want this not to be all there is, so when people believe in the inexplicable it is easy to say that they want to believe. After all, they do. But the fact that human beings grasp onto these experiences and cling tightly does not mean they are not real.

As Halloween unfolds, the doubts lessen. I talk to people about their unusual experiences. I watch Celebrity Ghost stories. When I woke up this morning doubt was a theme I wanted to address but as I make my way towards sleep, there is little imagination at work. Now, it all seems so obvious. It is all real.