Ghosts

 

The appearance of a person /animal either dead or alive. Apparitions of the dead, who are seen repeatedly over a period of time, haunting the same location, are also known as ghosts.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of apparitions on file concern those of the living rather than the dead. Few apparitional experiences are visual. On many investigations that I have undertaken have involved the sensing of a presence, noises, touch, smells and the like.

Although studies have been carried out on apparitions since early 19th century and many theories have been put forth and explained, Researchers, investigators, psychologist and parapsychologists still know very little about apparitions. But from all this research into different haunting cases, they have been able to analyse and group together as a collective name for different types. I shall try to explain some of them. Agent will be used as the word for the apparition being seen and percipient is the one who witnesses.

Characteristics of Apparitions:
Due to past studies, there seems to be no significant differences between the living and the dead. Some apparitions appear as solid as either you or me, with features as sharp as if you were looking at your friend.

Other apparitions however, appear fuzzy or misty, luminous and wispy. But most are little more than rods. Streaks blobs or patches of light. Apparitions can appear at will whenever they feel the need and disappear just as quick, but some are known to just softly fade away.

But whatever form they may be, they can still move through solid objects or walk round them, be seen as reflection in mirrors, some can call for the attention of the percipient, some are accompanied by a certain smell or sound. Some just want to let the percipients know that they are there by moving objects.

Crisis Apparitions

Crisis apparitions appear during an agent’s moment of severe crisis, usually death. It is commonly reported that the apparition will manifest itself to a loved one or whom the agent may have emotional ties with. Most show themselves as a message to the percipient as a farewell.

Apparitions of the dead

Again, most recorded cases are connected with emotional ties in which the passed ones appear to comfort the living, possibly to let the grieving know that not all is bad. Even to tell of news about some unfinished business that may help the percipient.

Collective Apparitions

Collective apparitions are those that show themselves to more than one person at any one time. It is said that animals are more often seen or heard by a group of percipients rather than a human form.

Reciprocal Apparitions

These apparitions are believed to be longing to return to their loved ones, either out of love or worry. This is where the agent suddenly finds itself in the company of the percipient. The percipient appears in spirit form to the agent. This is quite common in out of body experiences.

Deathbed Apparitions

These are apparitions who greet the dying. They usually appear very shortly before one dies but has also been seen by living beings in presence of the dying.

Theories about Apparitions

Many researchers believe that the main cause of apparition is through hallucinations, a mental state of mind that had no true reality. Some believe that it is a form of telepathy from the dead to the living created from the mind of the percipient.
Other theories on apparitions are quite different:

1. They are just images created out of the air by the subconscious mind with or without the assistance of the spirit.

2. They are the soul of the spirit.

3. They are a recording in the atmosphere of personalities that once were. Kind of like a video recording.

4. They are vehicles which the spirits can take on visible form.

5. They are emotions from an individual mind that enables external projection of any hidden guilt, a yearning wish, regret etc.

6. They are just images from the imagination but appear so strong the individual could honestly say he/she witnessed an apparition although it was nothing more than a very intense thought-form.

7. Apparitions are truly spirits of the dead who possess an intelligence and ability to communicate the living.

It is unlikely that one theory in particular can explain all apparitions and sightings. Of course, some apparitions could have been created by the living, that are hallucinations, and that some are no more than just atmosphere recordings.


Residual Haunting

A residual haunting is where no actual spirit is involved. This seems to be the most common type of haunting, it is a playback of events that have previously occurred.

Many people report their homes being haunted, although a residual haunting may hold certain characteristics of an actual haunting. Residual hauntings can sometimes be portrayed by way of strange sounds like footsteps or knockings. Certain occasions may even see apparitional figures moving across an area then suddenly vanishing, of course those who witness this type of event will automatically assume they have a ghost. Residual energy does not interact or change its pattern of events, the actions are basically played over and over again.

Also known as the \'Stone wall\' effect, residual energy is believed to be made by the living. Every living person and animal emits energy of some degree. The places we visit or encounter may be touched by our energies. Emotions are a strong type of energy, this too can have effects on our surroundings.

Energies of an emotion or an event can sometimes become entrapped within the fabric of a building. Electromagnetic fields and ideal atmospheric conditions maybe the cause of this type of phenomena.


We are all encapsulated by an electromagnetic field, most commonly known as the aura or auric field. This energy field by its very nature and make-up holds a residue of information which belongs to us, such as emotions, illness and personality. The aura is continually moving and it moves into and away from our physical body, therefore over time it will encounter its surroundings, such as furniture, walls, etc. This residual imprint can be felt or seen through the faculty of clairvoyance, clairsentience or both depending on the person perceiving the residual energies.

Video and audio tapes capture images and sounds on a film of special material that has been oxidised or rusted. Certain building materials such as slate, stone structures and iron nails used in many older buildings have properties similar to that of the tapes.

When a traumatic event or a time of heightened emotions these materials can record the event for future playback. We are not sure what causes the playback of events. What we do know is that everything is made of energy and energy cannot be destroyed. So is it the right weather conditions, Witness energy or some type of energy release? This still remains to be a mystery.


Earthbound Spirits

Earth bound spirits are spirits who for whatever reason, have not passed on. Violent or unexpected deaths, guilt or simply fear of moving into the light maybe key factors to why they choose to remain here.

This entity is simply a human spirit who will retain the same personality as they had in life. While not always complete, this is the way this spirit looked when alive (on the earth plane). Some are nice some are mean, but rarely they are evil.

They are intelligent and can interact with us by speaking to even appearing. They can create odours, make sounds, and move things, this is simply to gain your attention. They can be anywhere and most likely are. They can cause hot and cold spots, feelings of being watched as well as disruptions to electrical appliances. You may feel them touch you lightly as they try to get your attention. It is not their intention to frighten you, though you might become a little unnerved. In any case acknowledge them, talk to them as you would to a friend and they will be satisfied. If you do become a little frightened, just tell them that they are doing this to you and in most cases this will stop.

Always remember they are just like us and will usually respect you as long as you show respect to them.


Shadow Ghosts

Appearance & Characteristics:
Shadow ghosts appear as a shadow of sorts. They look a bit like Ecto-mist but are dark grey to black in colour. There are actually three separate types and we list them all in classes below. In photographs, it\'s easy to confuse them with natural shadows, so be careful with your analysis. They are usually extremely sneaky and evasive. When they are spotted it\'s usually out of the corner of your eye or as they are darting through a wall. They can also be spotted as a reflection in shinny objects and mirrors. As for photography, they are one of the rarest ghost types to be captured on film. Birds and cats are especially sensitive to them.

Type A - Appear as a small dark misty cloud and are almost always under two feet in length, but can hover or float up to 8 feet high.

Type B - Appear as a huge glob of thick cloudy mass. They typically range from 2 to 8 feet in height.

Type C - Appear in human form and some may be seen wearing a hat. They typically appear up to 8 feet in height.

This is a sneaky type that appears as a long, thin shadow in the strangest places, although many claim to have seen them in the shape of a man. They are extremely evasive, making them hard to photograph. When noticed, they will blend into nearby shadows, or disappear through a wall. You may have seen them from the corner of your eye as they dart about, but dismissed it as imagination. Some people believe these spirits are actually demons, but so far there is no evidence to prove this theory.

Locations spotted:
Most often spotted in homes. Have also been seen outdoors at a distance.

It seems the general consensus would be that they are ghosts in one of their forms. Some would say that they are demonic spirits or creatures, but that doesn't seem to be the case, at least in most cases.

Poltergeist

Poltergeist:- from the German, polter (=to make a noise by throwing or tumbling about, to bluster, scold, etc.) = geist (=ghost or spirit): hence, ‘noisy ghost, ‘ ‘hobgoblin,’ ‘racketing spirit.’

The most popular theories surrounding the poltergeist tend towards that of R.S.P.K. recurrent spontaneous psycho kinesis. That the poltergeist is not an external spirit, demon or entity, but is internal, a manifestation of human stress and anger that within some people is locked away until like a pressure cooker, the mind vents off emotions in the form of psycho kinetic energy.

Though the poltergeist seems to have been named after its auditory effects, more typical phenomena may include:

*** Showers of stones, [Lithobolia] earth, mud, sticks, fruit, shells and occasionally more bizarre materials such as bank-notes, small animals, etc.

*** Objects, e.g. furniture, may be rolled , moved, overturned or otherwise agitated; in particular, small items are likely to be thrown, levitated, caused to simulate rocking or dancing motion, or may be swept across the room in flights of complicated and sustained trajectory from which they descend either gradually and gently in hovering motion or very abruptly;

*** Bedclothes, linen, garments and curtains may be molested, torn, slashed or otherwise damaged. In some rare cases linen has been found to have been deliberately arranged in the form of a ‘tableau’ reminiscent of human figures at worship;

*** Small objects may disappear from their appointed places, possibly making subsequent reappearances in highly incongruous situations ... others fail to reappear at all;

*** Apports (objects perhaps foreign to the afflicted household) may similarly arrive on the scene.

*** Manipulations suggestive of internal malfunction may affect electrical equipment later found to be in normal working order. Telephones may ring or register calls when none have been made; plugs are removed and light bulbs smashed or wrenched from their sockets;

*** Spontaneous fires may break out;

*** Pools or jets of water (and/or other liquids) may be emitted from normally dry surfaces, e.g. walls, ceilings, etc.

*** Personal assaults such as blows, slaps, shoves, etc. may be inflicted on householders and their guests. However, stigmata in the form of weals, teeth-marks or scratches, are likely to be confined to one particular person, namely the supposed agent or focus in the disturbances;

*** Apparitions (human, animal or indeterminate) are sometimes witnessed, as are unusual lights, clouds of phosphorescence, etc,

*** In a few instances a form of psychic invasion characterized as possession or entrancement with associated psi abilities in the poltergeist agent has been reported.

 

Spirit Rescue

If one accepts that a spirit departing this world when its physical body dies can be trapped here (e.g. through not accepting that it has died or an unwillingness to move on before completing unfinished business), one can probably accept the need for a spirit rescue. How a person comes to the decision that a given spirit has become trapped might vary. Perhaps haunting phenomena will have been reported. Rescuers are generally mediums with experience in these matters, who use their abilities to contact the trapped spirit and encourage it to leave the world behind and move into the light i.e. the next world, where it will receive help for the problems that have kept it trapped. As with exorcisms, a failure to shift the phenomena might exacerbate them. This would also be the case if a team of spirit rescuers came into an already complex case and imposed its own beliefs on the repartees.

 

Exorcism and Releasement

Exorcism: The banishing or eviction of spirits, demons ghosts and other entities believed to be possessing a human or a place.

The severity of possession can determine the type of exorcism needed,
From a friendly persuasive conversation to an elaborate ritual demanding the entity leave in the name of God or a God.
Exorcism comes from the Greek term: exousia, meaning oath.
This also translates as adjuro or adjure in Latin and English.
Contrary to popular belie, To exorcise does not mean to cast out as much as meaning putting the entity on oath, or invoking a higher authority to compel the entity to act in a way against its wishes. Similar to the act of binding. Christian ways state that exorcism binds evil powers by the triumph of Christ and through the application of His power in and by His church.
Christian exorcism rituals tend to begin with the following words in Latin:
Adjure te, spiritus nequissime, per Deum omnipotentem.
Which translates as:
I adjure thee, most evil spirit, by almighty God.
In Christianity, exorcism is associated with the Demonic possession, which is seen as evil and the work of Satan.
People experiencing possession may levitate, become a lot stronger and powerful and speak a language unknown to them.
They are also known to conduct unimaginable contortions and spasms, body noises, diarrhoea, spiting, vomiting and swearing.
The room also goes through hot and cold waves of extreme intensity.
Most exorcisms are performed with priests, ministers, a junior cleric, a physician and in some cases a family member.

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