UNDERSTANDING GHOSTS

There is no scientific evidence that shows ghosts exist. We have heard this for years, but now it seems that the tables have turned. Many people now understand that something is happening in our environment that has not yet been fully explained. The statement today by many who are interested in this field is that there is no scientific evidence that shows ghosts do not exist. The word “ghost” is meant to refer to the spirit or soul of a deceased person. In popular culture, the word refers to a transparent being or an apparition. So why are dead people still hanging around? Surely they’re not just waiting around for someone to scare, are they? The following is a guide to help you better understand the different types of ghosts, where they are found and why they stick around.

WHAT IS A GHOST?

Everything in the universe is made up of energy, including humans. At our most basic level, we are merely a pile of atoms. To give you an idea, a 150-pound person is made up of about one octillion atoms. That’s a one followed by twenty-seven zeros, and that’s a lot of energy. We know that we are made up of energy, and energy cannot be destroyed. Atoms create electromagnetic fields, which are believed by many to be the root source of paranormal activity.

The belief is that electromagnetic fields and energy can cause a disembodied spirit to exist in a semiphysical state. Although a physical person may not be present, his electromagnetic form can be. Some conditions can help produce ghostly phenomena. There are a few common conditions that are favorable for experiencing a ghost.

An atmosphere that is electrically charged or a nearby electrical source may give spirits the energy needed to manifest in several ways. Solar flares and solar wind can also cause changes in earth’s magnetic field. Full and new moons can also cause changes in earth’s magnetic fields and tides. Silent and dark areas are also conducive.

It is believed that ghosts can draw on heat energy in order to manifest, leaving cold spots behind. Haunting activity is most common during the overnight hours because of the lack of outside sources affecting energy. Light, sound and temperature can affect energy. When light and sound are limited and an energy source exists, the chance for a paranormal experience increases greatly. So it seems the old cliché of ghostly occurrences happening in the middle of the night and in the dark isn’t so far-fetched.

TYPES OF MANIFESTATIONS

There are many forms of ghosts and paranormal phenomena. We will examine a few that appear in this book.

Intelligent Ghosts

This is the most understood and accepted form of ghost. Deceased humans will often make an appearance to friends, family members or strangers and are able to interact intelligently with the living. Intelligent ghosts can be familiar, such as deceased family members, or can be unknown to the viewer. They also carry their human essence with them by creating smells or sounds associated with them while they were alive. Because these ghosts seem to keep their personalities they had on earth, it is believed that they are still able to experience emotions. Some ghosts are friendly, loving and helpful while others are sad, depressed and angry. There are also the unknown intelligent ghosts. These are ghosts who are not readily identifiable to the viewer, such as a soldier or a former occupant of a home.

Full-Body Apparitions

This form of ghost is the most sought after and hardest to capture on film. It is believed that when a spirit gathers enough energy, it can manifest into a full head-to-toe ghost. Considering this theory, it is possible that a ghost may manifest only partially if it has limited energy resources on which to draw. These forms take on the characteristics of a human and can be identified by family or friends. When these apparitions appear in photographs, they can seem to be posing for a picture or can be totally oblivious to the camera. Some of these ghosts are seen in solid form holding conversations, which causes many people to mistake them for an actual person until they disappear in front of them.

Historically Familiar Ghosts

Ghosts who are historically familiar are readily identifiable as a well-known or famous person who is deceased, such as Abraham Lincoln. These familiar ghosts can exist in several different forms, ranging from a residual imprint to an intelligent haunting.

Residual Haunting or Imprint

These manifestations take on the appearance of a living human, but they seem oblivious to their surroundings. They repeat an event or sequence of events, as if on a loop that plays over and over again. Any attempts to interact with this type of manifestation are always met with the same unconcerned disposition, as if the viewer is the one who is invisible. The residual imprint remains the most commonly experienced form of paranormal phenomenon. Another theory is that these spirits may be unaware that they are being seen by the living and likewise are unable to perceive the living. They may be going about their daily routines just as the living do, walking through the same areas of a house or sitting in the same chairs. The main belief, however, is that these are not real spirits but rather an imprint imbedded onto the environment.

Poltergeist

The word “poltergeist” comes from the German word meaning “noisy ghost.” These manifestations have considerable and sometimes dangerous power. This form of ghost is known for its ability to move or throw objects, make loud sounds such as knocking on walls and touching or pushing a person. In recent years, the idea of a poltergeist being a malicious ghost has been challenged. Poltergeist activity is normally centered around one person, usually a teenager. One theory is that large amounts of kinetic energy are released through telekinesis, causing a person to manifest poltergeist activity on their own. In essence, the person being haunted is the one causing the haunting without knowing it. This could explain why the activity seems to follow a person to different locations. Considering the number of stressed-out teenagers in the world, this phenomenon remains extremely rare. If a person can move objects with his mind, the idea of a ghost moving objects does not seem so strange. Many people, however, still hold the belief that poltergeist activity is an actual ghost that can affect its surroundings and not a person causing haunting activity with his own energy.

Nonhuman Ghosts

This type of ghost has intelligence, can interact with humans and can manifest emotions. They are very similar to an intelligent ghost but do not come from human origin. These ghosts have been referred to as entities or extracelestial. They have never had a human incarnation. Take a look at our world and all of its diversity in culture, race, religion and beliefs. If we apply this to the realm of ghosts, it is certainly possible that a human ghost may only make up a tiny percentage of spiritual beings in our universe. Nonhuman ghosts are rarely seen with the naked eye and are the hardest to document. Animals would fall into this variety of ghosts as well. Some seem to be angelic beings on a mission to help humans. Others are malevolent in nature, just as humans sometimes are on our planet. These dark and dangerous forms of nonhuman ghosts may account for what many religions call “demons.”

Orbs

This type of energy appears in photos unexpectedly. They are also seen traveling at high rates of speed on film and sometimes change direction rapidly. One theory about these balls of light is that they are the most basic form of spirit energy in its earliest stage of manifestation. Other paranormal researchers write off orbs as dust or insects flying in front of the camera. This theory doesn’t account for orbs that show up when no flash is used. It also doesn’t explain why orbs usually show up at supposedly haunted sites and hardly ever in other photos. Orbs are still used by many researchers to gauge haunting activity but are weighed more heavily when accompanied by a high electromagnetic field or temperature drop.

Shadow People

This is a shadowlike supernatural being that has a humanoid shape but no distinct features. One theory is that these beings inhabit several dimensions, including the third dimension in which we exist. Mainstream science is fairly convinced that other dimensions exist and these creatures may come from one or more of them. Another theory is that they are the astral bodies of humans having an out-of-body experience. Some people report malevolent feelings in the presence of these beings, leading some to believe that they are demonic in nature.

Tulpas

A tulpa, also known as a “thoughtform,” is a manifestation of mental energy. Something that is believed in by a mass collective consciousness becomes a physical manifestation in our dimension. Tulpas can sometimes take on their own images and behaviors. Good examples of other possible tulpas are Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.

Bleed-through

The theory involving a bleed-through is that the past, present and future are all existing at the same time. If circumstances are right, there could be a rip in time whereby a past or future event could be witnessed. A bleed-through can occur in different settings, such as seeing soldiers on old battlefields or watching a doctor treat a patient in an old hospital.

Inanimate Objects

The strangest forms of ghosts and the most difficult to explain are those of inanimate objects such as ships, planes, cars and trains. Because these things do not have a consciousness, there is no good reason for them to appear in ghostly form. The most likely rationale is that they are a type of residual imprint, although they seem to occur far less frequently than those involving humanlike manifestations. Lighthouses have been known to shine a light after it has been removed, and school bells have been heard in abandoned schools.

WHY GHOSTS HAUNT

There are numerous reasons why ghosts haunt a location. At times they have no idea that they are dead. Death sometimes comes so fast that an individual may not realize he is dead. This is most common with murders, accidents or young children who are lost or confused. At times ghosts become attached to someone, someplace or something, refusing to let go of what they had in life. This could be a home they lived in or a place they loved. They can also be attached by feelings of guilt or regret. Some ghosts have unfinished business, and some are trying to complete a task. This could involve real estate, financial matters or simply the need to say goodbye to loved ones. Some ghosts want revenge. They are looking to bring justice to someone who has done them wrong. There are ghosts that have more altruistic motivations. In some instances, a ghost will appear to comfort a loved one or warn them of danger. Once its purpose is complete, the ghost will typically move on.

HAUNTING ACTIVITY SCALE

In order to give you a better sense of what kind of ghost or haunting activity is occurring in each story, a scale has been developed. This scale is based on our knowledge of haunting activity at each site. The Haunting Activity Scale will cover three main focuses for each chapter within this book. They are as follows:

FREQUENCY: how often sightings are occurring.

*Rarely; less than once a year

**Occasionally; once a year or more

***Frequently; multiple sightings each year

INTENSITY: how strong the haunting activity is.

*Minor; electromagnetic field readings, cold spots, feeling of presence

**Moderate; smells, orbs, apparitions

***Major; moving objects, intelligent voices, touching or physical harm

TYPE: what type of haunting activity is being experienced; for example: poltergeist, nonhuman or intelligent.