Gina Kruzel resides in Meigs County and has been involved in the metaphysical field for over 40 years. As a paranormal investigator, Kruzel has experienced sights, feelings and encounters not many people have.
She will be bringing her talents to Chosen Pathways Spiritual Emporium, 400 E. State St., on Sunday at 1 p.m. Kruzel will be sharing her best stories and hopes to bring the right amount of spookiness to Halloween day.
The Post spoke with Kruzel about her career and the rare experiences she has had in her lifetime of paranormal investigation.
The Post: What is paranormal investigation?
Kruzel: Well, it's probably different for every paranormal investigator that there is. The only common thread would be the word “paranormal,” things that exceed the normal known parameters. For me, paranormal investigating has a couple of facets. On one side of what I do, I clear places, people, objects of negative energy and clear ghosts, which are earthbound spirits … people who have died and did not go into the divine light. I clear places, houses (and) businesses of them. Sometimes, there's negative energy that can be on a place, a person, an object. I take that off. I’ve got an interesting ability to be able to balance and work with some things in those realms. The other side of what I do is I read tarot cards. I've been doing that for 40 years. That's my blend of particular paranormal investigation. My background would play into this: my mom and I had a metaphysical shop in Cleveland for over 30 years. I've got a pretty good working knowledge of a lot of different angles in the metaphysical field.
TP: How did you start your journey in paranormal investigation?
Kruzel: I've always been encouraged to follow my own path by my parents and have been raised with keeping an open mind. It just started with kind of a broad sweep on information from them growing up but, in particular, mom and I had an interest in different aspects of the paranormal. I had an idea: “Hey, let's open a shop,” and we just kind of rolled with it. I had the opportunity to meet a now famous paranormal investigator; her name is Mary Ann Winkowski. The TV series The Ghost Whisperer is about her life. I met her over 30 years ago, and she encouraged my abilities. She realized that I had some gifts and not only did we become friends, but I was able to go with her on some of her early ventures, and we became friends. So, we hung out, and she encouraged my abilities when she saw that I had some. I had that unique opportunity of realizing that the things that I've been perceiving have a great degree of reality. It kind of changed my worldview. I had an interest in tarot cards, even an interest in playing cards when I was a kid. I discovered tarot cards before age 2, and I putzed around with them. I really got interested in it in my 20s and found (I) had a knack for it. I got very much encouraged in that art, so that also put me on the path. Having the shop gave me a lot of education. I read a lot of material. I met a lot of interesting people. I learned (an) incredible amount of things from people all over the country through having that venture, so that definitely gave me the broad sweep that I have with knowledge and understanding.
TP: What’s been your most memorable experience or encounter through paranormal investigation?
Kruzel: There's a few of those. I'm going to tell some of those stories at our talk on Sunday. I’ll tell you the handsome cowboy story. I mean, this isn't necessarily my most notable, but it's kind of a fun one. I've had some really interesting stuff and, actually, some of my most interesting experiences have been in places down here. This one happened to be up on the far west side of Cleveland. A girl was having experiences in our house: things just kind of moved around, feeling of being watched — definitely felt a presence in the house. Other people could feel it, too. I can tell over the phone most of the time. I haven't not been able to do it yet — who you have in your house and what's going on from a phone call. I was able to talk to this person and determine she did indeed have an earthbound spirit. She had a male in the house, and she agreed to have me over. I went to her place and, when I make the light, I can see them very clearly. I have the ability to make the light and send our earthbound friends into that light, and they have another chance to go into the “divine light,” which opens up for us all when we pass. In her house, the ghost that was in there, I call him a “handsome cowboy” because I don't know if you've ever been to a rodeo or have seen any rodeo shows, (but) they'll have the horses that go around the barrels. They have bull riding. They've got all kinds of things like that. Well, they've got people that will distract ... the bulls and some of the bucking broncos. If the cowboy is up off the horse, they've got the people in the barrels that dress up, and some of them could be clown-like in a way, but they'll be a distraction so that the riders don't get hurt. Well, this guy was one of those people. He was a handsome cowboy because he was one of those guys that would come in and out of the barrels dressed in chaps, very flamboyant. He was very acrobatic, but he would be part of the show as well as part of the safety for those rodeos. So, he was a handsome cowboy, and he thought she was cute and followed her home. She picked them up there (at a county fair) at one of the shows that they had. He just thought she was cute and followed her home.
TP: What have you learned through your career?
Kruzel: It's all about the light. Whatever it is, it's all about the light. That's what I've definitely learned: to see the energy of the light, whether we have enough light or not because, as the seasons change, people become cranky or depressed because it's about the light. Whether we're dead or alive, it's still about the light, the light of what we call God, the Divine. The light of the sun that ancient people would call God. It's about how that light changes and even the absence of light and the dark. I learned the power of that but also that many things are possible. Our world is permeated with many other places, a matrix of everything that has a lot of facets to it. There are different levels in different places and different facets to that jewel. That's just the way it is, and it all just kind of exists. You have an opportunity to see beyond the eccentricity of humanity and realize that there are many things out there, and their world permeates ours. We probably know nothing compared to what there is to know. We're at the tip of the iceberg.
TP: What can people expect at your event Sunday?
Kruzel: I think they can expect to have some of their experiences validated. I think they can expect to have some information that they didn't have before they got there. I think they can also gain understanding that creates less fear as we go through life. I know people enjoy the story. People may also have the opportunity to tell some of their experiences. So, there's some shared experience there that, again, gives people information and validates experiences that people have. It's not your average coffee shop talk because of the subject matter. I think it's fascinating and interesting, and hopefully, maybe, I can even make you all jump once or twice.
Kruzel encourages everyone to come experience her stories and share experiences of their own. Kruzel said she plays with positive energy, and she tries to create a balance in people’s lives. Her skillset can venture into worlds, bringing balance and peace to one’s life. She is excited to share with the people of Athens and help people understand the true meaning of the divine light.
