“Big Bad Bill” was what I called him. I never did learn his whole name – just the “Bill” part. He was big and burly, he probably had never attended school and he loved to cuss and fight and drink. The whole town where he lived knew him and no one – not one single person – liked him.

     He grew up in a dysfunctional family where the father was never home and his mother did not show him any love. No one cared for Bill. When I asked Bill if there was anyone who loved him, after as much though as he could muster, he replied, “There oncet was this boy and we used to climb trees together.” That was the only one who loved him in his whole, lonesome life.

     Bill was big, he was bad, and when I talked with him, he had also been dead for a hundred years. Bill was a disembodied spirit hiding from a hell he thought he deserved – until he finally met the One who loved him.

     I met Bill while I was a presenter at a conference for Hypnotherapists. The topic of my presentation, “Using Hypnosis to Release Attached Spirits,” opened up an entirely new concept to some of those attending. An attached spirit is usually the spirit of a deceased individual who is still wandering upon the earth and who allows their “energy” to influence or, in extreme cases, take over, the body of a living person. Although complete possession is rarely seen (and is usually not anything like that depicted in the movie, the Exorcist), it is much more common to discover one or more spirits influencing the thoughts or emotions of an individual. In most cases, the spirit is attempting to “help” the individual, and does not wish to hurt them, yet is unaware of how their “energy” interferes with the individual’s life. Through hypnosis, a therapist can sometimes reach these spirits communicate with them. The hypnotherapist, through the use of various psychological skills, can then assist the spirits to move on to the next stage in their realm. This frees the living person from their influence, while helping the spirit to enter further into heaven or “the “Light,” as it is sometimes called.

     After my presentation, a fellow hypnotherapist approached me with an appeal for help. She had been bothered with an attached spirit whose voice she could sometimes hear in her mind. She knew it was another spirit because of the language it used – words which she did not have in her vocabulary! Wishing to be rid of such influence, she asked me if I could release the spirit within her. Telling her that I could at least attempt to do that, we found a spot where we would not be bothered or interrupted and I proceeded to place her into a trance.

     Being a hypnotherapist herself, and having experienced hypnosis many times, she quickly and easily entered the hypnotic trance. Once she was there, I requested that she choose a spiritual guide to accompany her in this journey. Without giving it any thought, she immediately chose Jesus to accompany her. I suggested that she see Jesus and to be fully aware of his presence with her.

     I then requested that any spirits which might be attached to her body or energy to be allowed to use her voice to speak to me. Under hypnosis, she agreed and so I called out for the spirit within her to speak through her voice, but not to harm her in any way nor to use any other features of her body.
It did not take long to contact the spirit within her. When I asked his name, he replied, “Bill.”

     I inquired of Bill’s origins to establish that he was indeed a separate spirit and was there as an outside influence. It was then I learned Bill lived in what we would call the “Frontier”, although I did not discover the exact location or the exact years of his life. The best we could guess would have been in the mid to late 1800’s or early 1900’s. What follows is a reconstructed dialog with Bill (I did not have a tape recorder with me at the time, but this was written soon after this incident, and contains, if not all the exact words, at least the meaning and intent of the story. The actual session covered more questions and responses, yet this is a synopsis of what was said.)

Me: Bill, why are you here?

Bill: I’m hide’n!

Me: Hiding? Hiding from whom or what?

Bill: I don’t wanna go to no Hell!

Me: Go to Hell? Who told you that you were?

Bill: That preacher. At the revival. He tol’ me I was bad and was go’in to Hell. I know I’m bad.

NOTE: The person in the trance later told me that when Bill was saying this, she saw the picture in her mind of a wizened old minister, wearing a black shirt or coat with a high collar, waving a Bible in his hand and pressing down upon Bill while shouting that if he didn’t repent, he was going to Hell.

Me: Why would he say something like that, Bill?

Bill: Cuz I was always fight’en and cussing and drinking. But I can’t help it! Hit’s all I know ta do!”

Me: Well Bill, I want you to look inside yourself and tell me what you see.

NOTE: When in the spirit realm, an individual can see more than just the physical aspects of themselves. I was hoping that Bill would see within himself the spark of light that is within all creatures. When attention is given to such a spark of light, it will grow stronger.

Bill: (he mumbled something I didn’t catch)

Me: What do you see, Bill? I didn’t hear what you said.

Bill: (A little louder) A lot of dark shit!

Me: (I had to stifle a chuckle because I had never had a spirit answer in such a literal manner before. After recovering, I continued.) What else do you see, Bill?

Bill: A winder.

Me: A window? Look in that window and tell me what you see. (I was not sure where this was going, but I thought it best to continue)

Bill: (somewhat astonished) Hit’s a light!

Me: A light?

Bill There’s a light in that there winder.

Me: That’s right, Bill. And that light is who you are. You are that light, deep down within you. That’s the good within you.

Bill: But the preacher said…

Me: He couldn’t see that light within you, Bill, but you can. That light is who you are. You know that, now, don’t you, Bill?

Bill: Well… I guess so.

NOTE: Once a spirit is ready to go to the light, I generally ask if there is someone they love or loved them. Sometimes that person will be there in the light to greet the spirit as it enters.

Me: Bill, is there anyone who loved you, or whom you loved?

Bill: (After a long hesitation) Well, there was this boy oncet. We use to climb trees together.

NOTE: Later I learned from the individual under hypnosis that Bill really had to search his memory to come up with this answer.

Me: And how old were you when you played with this boy?

Bill: I don’t ‘member. About five or six, I guess.

Me: What about your mother?

Bill: Ma? Naaa, she never cared for me. And Pa never came around much. And when he did, he was always drunk.

Me: I see. Well Bill, I want you to lift your head and look up and tell me what you see.

NOTE: At this point, they usually see the Light and the person whom they loved, and they can then go to the Light.

Bill: (again with astonishment) Why… I see a man who looks like Jesus.

Me: (Remembering that Jesus had gone along!) That’s who he is, Bill. Now, look into his eyes and tell me what you see.

NOTE: The eyes give away the true intentions of the waiting spirit. If the eyes appear red, then it is possible that the spirit is disguised and is not whom they appear to be. When this happens, I do not allow access to the waiting spirit, but have them look for someone else.

Bill: (After a long pause, Bill responded with the most sincere and concise witness to Jesus I have ever heard.) Why… he knowed everythin’ I ever done. And IT DON’T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE! (The emphasis was Bill’s)

Me: That’s right, Bill. That’s what Jesus is like. Why don’t you go with him, Bill? Take his hand and go to the Light with him.

Bill: I will… I will.

     With that, Bill entered in the Light with Jesus, and left forever his physical hostess. She told me later that she watched with tears in her eyes as they walked away. To be honest, we both had tears of joy as I brought her out of the trance.

     This incident raises many questions, but one thing is certain: Jesus is there with his love even for those who seemingly are sinners. No matter how many bad things Bill had done, to Jesus, it made no difference. His love for Bill was a strong as it is for any of us.