DEFINITIONS (page)

Investigation: Going to a potentially haunted place to record data, take pictures, etc. To then analyze all of the data in order to prove or disprove a haunting. This also may involve assisting people in understanding the results of the investigation.

Types of Ghosts

by Dave Juliano

The general Hollywood concept of a ghost is not accurate but it's what many think about when they speak of ghosts.  There are basically three types of hauntings.

The first type of haunting is exactly like a video playback of a historic or tragic event.  This is called a residual haunting.  The event unfolds in front of you and there is no interaction between you and the ghosts.  They seem to not notice you and go through the motions of the event that occurred in the past.  This event has been imprinted on the area or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right.  The ghosts that you see in this type are not earthbound spirits, they are just visual play backs.  Since everything is made up of energy, the theory is that some of the energy from an event can be recorded by certain materials and played back when the atmosphere triggers it.  Remember that video and audio tape is just oxidized (rust) film that enables the images and sounds to "stick" to it.  This type may be frightening when you see it, but you are in no danger so enjoy the experience.

The second type of haunting is an interactive spirit that manifests in many ways.  You may see a full bodied or partial bodied apparition.  More frequently than that, you may here voices, music, footsteps, etc.  You may also smell odors which sources cannot be found (i.e. pipe tobacco when no one smokes).  You may also see orbs, mists and other light effects.  You may feel touches, cold spots, and other light physical contact.  This ghost is the spirit of a deceased human being.  They may be stuck here (earthbound) for reasons such as tragic sudden death, fear of moving on, guilt or unfinished business.  They also could be here visiting loved ones or to warn or pass along a message.  These human spirits are the same as they were in life, so they may be good or bad, but not really evil.  Think of all the people you know, probably a bit of good and bad, some worse than others.  This type can cause some scary situations but you must think about the situation they are in, you don't see them but they see you.  They will try to get your attention any way they can.  Many times this is the terrifying event people will write to me about like the lights going on and off, items moving, noises, etc.  For the most part these are just attention getters and nothing more.  There are a few more mischievous human spirits that will do these things to bother you and scare you on purpose.  They may just be a prankster or maybe they want you to leave the old home or not to change something in the home.  They have all the same motivations you and I would have.  These human spirits account for a majority of the hauntings we encounter and are relatively harmless.  Yes, there are extreme cases and sometimes they can cause dangerous situations, but this is not the norm and is rare.

The third type of ghost you may encounter is not a rare one, but is rare that they interact with the living.  They are non human spirits, commonly known as demons and devils.  They are mentioned in the bible numerous places in both the old and new testaments.  This type is dangerous and can cause you harm.  I believe that if there is good, there must be a counter balance, evil.  These non human spirits often disguise themselves and friendly and helpful human spirits.  They often appear in cases dealing with Ouija boards, black magic and satanic worship.  This is why I recommend not trying to contact spirits and doing ghost hunts without some understanding of what's out there.  It's also why I recommend you go with or learn from experienced people before hand.  That way you can ghost hunt with relative safety from these entities.

Ectoplasm, Ecto-Mist, Ecto-Fog: This is a cloudy, vaporous mist that can be spotted at any haunted location. It usually appears as a gray, white or black fog or mist-like substance. It is believed that a spirit will show up in this form before transforming into a full-bodied apparition. [Be sure not to smoke during an investigation and make sure it is not foggy]

Orbs, Ghost Lights: These are the most photographed anomaly in paranormal research. Orbs are transparent or translucent balls of light that hover above the ground. Many times these balls of light can be nothing more than dust, bugs, or glare. Also, digital cameras are said to be able to produce false orbs. The orbs to look for are the ones that seem to be glowing with their own light and have a trail which indicate that they were traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the flash. Some experts claim that around 85% of all photographed orbs are caused by normal conditions such as weather, dust, bugs or glare. Orbs can also be captured on video as hovering in place or traveling erratically through the air. It is believed that orbs are the most convenient way for spirit energy (human or animal) to travel. [Be careful not to mistake dust or bugs as an orb]

Shadow Ghosts, Shadow Men: Appearing as a shadow, these ghosts look like ecto-fog only they have a shape. They are usually spotted gliding above ground and are anywhere from 2 to 6 feet in height. Some people believe that these shadows are demons but this really doesn’t seem to be the case.

Vortex, Funnels: Most often spotted in old structures, a vortex can appear in photos as a long, tube which may contain orbs within it. Sometimes it looks as though the orbs are traveling through the tube and coming out the end as if the vortex is a portal from another realm. [Be careful with camera straps and hair as you photograph]

Energy Streaks, Streaming Energy: Energy streaks are very fascinating streams of light mostly reported as orange or green (sometimes red) in color. They seem to zip through the air so fast that they leave a really long, glowing trail behind them. Some people dismiss them as bugs; however, after experimenting with bugs the results are far different.