Charles Crooks, drawing upon a diverse background spanning corporate retail, ballroom dance, secondary education, and meditation, combines his wide-ranging expertise to guide individuals towards their authentic selves. In 2013, he co-founded the Bellingham Ghost Hunt Class, incorporating paranormal investigations inspired by popular television shows. Deepening his understanding of energy studies at the Simply Spirit Reading and Healing Center, Charles recognized the significance of our invisible energy systems. Today, he assists others in comprehending their inner workings through offerings such as aura photography, cannabis and meditation education classes, workshops, and private sessions. MysticMag finds out more.
Can you share about your journey and diverse background and how it influences others to find their true self?
I never thought that my diverse background of spiritual studies, ballroom dance, education (for high school), and managing/leadership in corporate retail would ever come together. Each part has given me little bits of a whole that have contributed to my practice now. Whether it’s leading a ghost tour or doing a coaching session, all of my experience weaves together from the practice I have built in my life. Having seen the direct benefits of living it myself, I now seek to help others navigate their spiritual journey.
In the last two years especially, I took a step back from trying to guide others. I decided to focus on my spiritual practices, and understand them so I could teach and lead others on a deeper level. I believe we have to practice something and experience it to understand it. There are many different ways to get to the same places spiritually, but you only get to those places through practice.
Currently I find myself as a spiritual teacher/educator, manifesting coach, reader, and paranormal tour guide. While it may be many hats to wear at once, they all blend together perfectly because of my combined experiences. I’m excited to see what comes next!
What initially sparked your interest in the spiritual realm?
As a kid, I loved stories about magic and other lands. From the Wizard of Oz, to Wonderland, to the Neverending Story, I was captivated by these places that I could visit in my dreams. I believe this love for fantasy was a huge factor in my path and what I’ve sought out. As a young boy I was mesmerized by the show Sightings, which featured news like stories on all things paranormal/supernatural and weird.
I always wanted to experience as much as I could inside and outside of myself. As a teen, I discovered meditation, astral projection and the beginnings of energy work. All of it began to cultivate my spiritual explorations further, including regularly experiencing a ghost cat that lived in my family’s house. In college I was introduced to quantum physics and the notion of being able to control my world through the power of thought. This led me to the process of manifestation, which I was enthralled with. Tarot also came along in college, and I had no idea it would spark a 20+ year relationship with the reflection tool.
After moving to Bellingham, WA in 2009, it really launched my exploration into ghost hunting and paranormal investigation. I also spent over a year and half doing clairvoyance training at our local reading, healing, and education center. Through constant practice of the concepts that I learn, my experience and understanding has led me to the teaching and guidance of others. I love education and the sharing of what I have learned.
My most recent practice has been understanding the manifestation process, and figuring out how to coach others in it. After manifesting several large events in my life, I am ready to share my simple process and techniques so others can see success in it too.
Can you explain the significance and impact of paying attention to our invisible energy system? And how does this understanding contribute to personal growth and self awareness?
I believe our invisible energy systems are extremely important to pay attention to. Just as we take care of our physical bodies, we must bathe them, keep them moving, feed them, we have to also take care of our energetic system. Our chakras and energy channels are the main systems I work with, and have found immense benefit from paying attention to them.
In working with my own energy, I have had a great response in my physical body towards my scoliosis. When I first started releasing past energies out of my chakras, I noticed a physical response within my body as well. The curve in my spine hasn’t gone away, but my overall posture and body awareness has improved to a level I never thought possible. I have greater mobility and ease of movement when I do physical activities.
When we bring balance to our energy systems, we can find benefits like improved energy and better sleep, greater emotional balance, a deeper connection to your intuition, increased awareness of energies around us, better relationships, and so much more.
I also have found value and growth paying attention to our chakra years. I first learned of this concept from Cyndi Dale who talks about our 7 year chakra cycles. Starting at age 14, every year, we have opportunities to work through lessons related to each chakra. After applying it to my life for the last 6 years and seeing my challenges through this lens, I have experienced nothing but positive change as I let go of things that I have held onto for years.
Can you share your most memorable ghost story?
One of my more memorable events was when we did a private investigation of a home. Upon encouragement from another investigator, I went to go check out a space that they said was creepy. After entering and tuning into the vibrations of the space, I immediately felt off. I felt scared, worried, like I was going to cry for no reason out of nowhere. I knew that these were not my feelings. They continued to stay with me for the rest of the evening.
On the drive home, one of my fellow investigators turned to me and said, “I think something is attached to you.” I hadn’t told them how I was feeling at the time, they sensed it on their own. When I got home ,the energy followed me. I sat outside for a while telling it, it was no welcome in my space. I finally was tired enough and went to bed. After crawling into bed, I started to hear banging noises on the wall directly below me. The space below was vacant of tenants at the time. While the energy listened and stayed out of my space, it continued to taunt me until I fell asleep. I finally got it to leave me alone the next day, and haven’t experienced anything similar since.
For those new to ghost hunting, what advice or tips would you give them to enhance their experience and increase the chances of encountering paranormal activity during the tour?
For those new to ghost hunting, I recommend a few simple steps to have a positive experience.
Stay open – Be open to experiences happening! If you are afraid of an experience while wanting one to happen, your vibration will be contradictory to itself. It’s ok to be afraid of the unknown, but be open to possibility! It might surprise you.
Ask for experiences to happen – If you want something to happen, ask for it! Ask for EVPs and photo evidence. You’ll be surprised what cooperates with you sometimes.
Keep solid boundaries – You probably wouldn’t open your front door of your home to the world and say anyone is welcome. The same goes for spirit. It’s one thing to ask for experiences, but attach some boundaries to keep things to your comfort level. If you mean it, they will listen to you.
It’s not all scary – Hollywood certainly has a great deal of responsibility in contributing to our ideas of hauntings and ghosts. Just like our human experience, we feel fear and happiness, and it is no different for an intelligent spirit. Don’t be so serious all the time, and have fun. Chances are, there are spirits that want to have fun with you too.
Websites:
Charlescrooks.com
Bellinghamghosttours.com
