Monsters have always been a part of our culture – and in recent years movies, books and television shows have launched a few varieties straight into the mainstream. The Walking Dead, a grim drama about the Zombie Apocalypse, is one of the highest rated shows on TV, and it’s hard to find a teenaged girl who’s not a fan of the Twilight series, with their handsome young vampires and werewolves. What is it about zombies, werewolves and vampires that we as a culture find so irresistible?

With Halloween upon us, let’s explore the characteristics of these fascinating creatures. Here’s a little background on three of the most popular – vampires, werewolves and zombies, along with some human versions that you might encounter in your daily life.

Vampires – do they really need our blood?  

Vampires are mythical creatures who are dead, but walk among the living. They have fangs, are afraid of sunlight, cry tears of blood, sleep in a coffin during the day and have extreme levels of strength and speed. Most notably, these creatures are immortal, unless of course, killed with a weapon made of pure silver.

Vampires gain strength by sucking the life essence – usually the blood – out of their victims. But, if vampires are immortal, why do they need blood to survive? Theories about this vary from culture to culture. Some feel that the vampire needs blood to flow through their veins to keep their bodies animated and limit the damage of decay. Others feel that the beasts feed simply to wreak havoc and fear.

This theory makes on think that it may not be the blood – but something else that motivates the vampire. This reminds me of some real-life vampires you might encounter.

Protect yourself from Psychic Vampires.

You may have heard of Psychic Vampires, but exactly what are they, and more importantly – how can you tell if one has its fangs in you?  Unlike their mythical counterparts, Psychic Vampires are very real. They can come off as charming and sincere at first – before they show their true colors. They don’t suck your blood, but left unchecked they’ll latch on and rob you of your energy and vital life force. You’ll end up feeling drained spiritually, mentally, emotionally and even physically.

If you suspect someone that you’ve just met might be a psychic vampire, wait until they leave and you are alone. Tune into your emotional state. If you felt fine before you saw them but after spending time with them suddenly feel angry, sad or frustrated that’s a warning sign, so be sure to trust whatever your intuition tells you.

When there’s a “bad moon on the rise.”

A werewolf is a mythological creature that is sometimes a person and sometimes a wolf, and when in wolf form, can prey on people. In different legends, the werewolf is a magician or the object of a curse. In modern day, the werewolf is usually shown shape-shifting under the influence of the full moon.

Shape-shifters exist in the real world too. How many people have you come across that appear one way on the surface, but when stressed or insecure, become another person altogether. Sometimes the veneer on a person is thin, but we are reluctant to see them for who they really are. Maya Angelou says, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. The best way to protect yourself from a human werewolf is to pay attention to their behavior when it changes for the worse, and move on!

What’s even scarier than a Zombie Apocalypse?

Zombies are fictional “undead” creatures created through the reanimation of human corpses. They are most commonly found staggering around in groups, terrorizing the living, in horror movies. The term comes from Haitian lore, where zombies are animated by magic and voodoo. Modern depictions of zombies do not necessarily involve magic but are usually the result of mysterious epidemics and viruses

A full scale “Zombie Apocalypse” might be low on your list of things to worry about, but spiritual zombies can be a real threat. These real life “zombies” won’t zap your energy in the same way as a psychic vampire, but interactions with them can take a toll.

You’ve likely encountered many spiritual zombies during the course of an average day. You can spot them by their soulless eyes and dazed looks give them away. Mention anything spiritual or positive and they look at you like you’re crazy!

Spiritual zombies erode your self-esteem with tactics like peer pressure, conformity and shame, making you feel like you are different or odd. Or they might just look through you and not even be aware of your existence. Either way, spiritual zombies are not the people you want on your journey!

Build up your defenses.

Defending yourself against psychic vampires, emotional shape-shifters and spiritual zombies isn’t difficult. It mostly just requires awareness, confidence in your own inner guidance and simple psychic protection.

Don’t funnel energy into pleasing someone if your gut tells you they don’t have your best interest at heart. Set up good psychic boundaries. Be conscious of your energy field and protect it so that negativity can’t get in! You can also call on spiritual guides and helpers. Most important – pick your friends wisely. The more time you spend with positive, loving and spiritual people, the less likely you are to be the victim of a real life “monster.” To meet some new, like-minded friends, why not jump on my Student Facebook Page and strike up a conversation!