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The Universal Question is "what are ghosts"?

The Universal Question is what are ghosts?

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1. Poltergeists

The word literally means "noisy or racketing ghost" in German. Although some parapsychologists call poltergeists "the riff-raff of the spirit world," they are not really spirits or ghosts in the true sense of the word. Poltergeists are random energy psychokinetically generated by a living person.

Typical scenario: A house with at least one child, usually entering adolescence (although exceptions are many), is suddenly terrorized by inexplicable phenomena: ghostly knockings, broken dishes, showers of stones, mysterious fires, objects that levitate, materialize, and dematerialize. Usually disturbances end in 6 months to a year, although some families have suffered for years. Very often, towards the end of the ordeal one of the children is caught in the act of throwing an object or knocking over furniture. The authorities then state that the whole episode was caused by the child as an attention-getting device, even though it has been phenomenon.

Psychological factors: In most poltergeist cases, it has been documented that the child or individual involved often feels powerless: that there is an unresolved anger, frustration, or stressful situation in the household. This may simply be the sexual stresses of puberty. Some authorities have found that the manifestations are physically caused by a child in a disassociated state--as in a split personality case.

How to get rid of the poltergeist: WARNING Exorcism or house blessing is not effective and may actually make things worse since the child's rage is directed towards authority. Family therapy is highly recommended to resolve the tensions that have created the situation in the first place. Or you can simply wait for the problem to go away, which it often does, within 6 months.



2. Ghosts with a Purpose/Situational Apparitions

These ghosts, which are recognizable as former living persons, by friends or relatives, "come back" for a definite reason: to warn of impending danger, to point out the missing will in the secret desk drawer, or just to say, "Hello, I love you".

Typical scenario: Widow or widower feels, sees, smells, or otherwise senses the presence of the departed loved one, either while awake or in dreams. 75% of all bereaved persons experience something like this.

Usually appears only once, although repeated visits in times of stress are also reported. Generates a feeling of great comfort for survivor.

Psychological Factors: Grieving sometimes triggers these apparitions, but it isn't always necessary.

To rid: No need, will go away by itself.



3. The Confused Dead

These form the majority of hauntings. They are dead people who don't know they are dead.

Typical scenario: Disturbances occur such as lights and water being turned on and off, objects disappearing, appearing, or being moved, footsteps, apparitions, and written messages. A presence is very palpably sensed or seen. There is a feeling that someone is trying to get in touch. In fact, the ghost is bewildered and frustrated because no one can see or hear him.

Psychological factors: These ghosts are often the victims of violent death or suicide. Persons who die while unconscious or insane are also frequently not aware that they have died. Insane spirits are particularly difficult to help.

To rid: If you know the name of the spirit, call him or her by that name. Explain gently that they are dead and they need to move on and they will be much happier moving on. Ask them to look around for a light. It may just be a spark of light at first, but it will get larger and larger until the spirit can see a loved one waiting for them in the light. If this doesn't work--and there will be occasional spirits who won't listen--find a person who specializes in spirit rescue (brief lists are found in the back of Haunted Ohioand



4. Guardian Spirits

These are spirits of persons who have chosen to stay with a person or place as its guardian spirit.

Typical scenario: A family moves into an old house. The former owner manifests him/herself and announces that he/she loved the place so much, can't bear to leave it and has appointed him/herself guardian. These ghosts are usually described as "comfortable" or "helpful" presences.

Psychological factors: The family wants the ghost to remain. Or perhaps a lonely person likes the ghost's company.

To rid: Follow the steps above. It is very selfish and unkind to keep spirits from where they belong. Ghosts are not pets.



5. Spectral Video Tapes/Time Slips

Apparitions that do not interact with the living, they simply exist.

Typical scenario: A person sees person in room in recognizable historical dress, like the woman who saw a wounded Civil War soldier in her attic in Zanesville. The figure does not seem to see the observer and does not try to speak or interact. These apparitions walk through walls where once there was a door: they walk up precious staircases, which may indicate that these "spirits" exist in some other time level.

Psychological factors: Fatigue or the hypnopompic state (between sleep and waking, where dream figures persist into reality) may play a role. It can be suggested that these are mere hallucinations, except for the many cases where the ghost exhibits knowledge of a historical fact (like doors that have been bricked up) that the observer does not possess.

To rid: Practically nothing can be done except move. However, most timeslips only occur once.


6. Demons

Demons are emissaries of evil. Some symptoms of demonic possession are 1) speaking or understanding foreign languages not normally understood 2) revulsion in the presence of religious objects 3) levitation 4) dreadful smells 5) a bestial look in the eyes.

Typical scenario: A substance-abusing teenager plays with ouija boards. The "spirits" tell him to read The Satanic Bible and other questionable works. They also urge him to set up an altar, burn black candles, and display pentagrams and other symbols. In response, he and his friends raid graveyards for skulls and other unsavory objects to use in their rituals.

Eventually the quest for power becomes an obsession, yet the more power he thinks he has, the more he loses. Often the teen realizes that everything he has been doing is a sham and commits suicide.

Psychological factors: Dwelling on the powers of evil, particularly as is common in certain religious groups, only gives those powers more credibility and strength. While we must recognize the existence of evil, we should not dwell on it.

The devil likes recognition. Persons with substance abuse problems are particularly susceptible to possession since the use of drugs and alcohol breaks down the protective aura and allows evil influences to slip.

The use of ouija boards, role-playing games, and the reading of satanic literature also are to be deplored. Weak-minded, frustrated adolescents are often seduced by the promise of power to be gained through satanic rituals. Seek your power through the Light of Christ.

To rid: Exorcism is a very difficult process. Often it is only temporary because some victims have invited the demonic presence. You cannot be possessed against your will! Exorcism is the only thing to try against possession, but the best cure is prevention.

7. Elementals

Elementals are random, somewhat malicious earth spirits.
Elementals generally materialize water, wind, or cause mysterious outbreaks of fire. Elementals can be confused with poltergeists or may work parallel with them and may persist after a poltergeist-afflicted family has undergone therapy.

There is very little that can be done to rid a house of an elemental except to try to balance the energies of the house as in the Chinese practice of Feng Shui. In other words, if you have a fire elemental, "cool" the site down by adding water in the form of bowls of water, an aquarium or fountain. If you have a water elemental, "dry" the environment by proper drainage, ventilation, bowls of salt or sand, living plants or candles.

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Paranormal Ghost Definitions.

What is a Apparition:

 The supernormal appearance of a dead person or animal, or of a living person too distant to be within the normal perception of the observer, apparitions are quite uncommon and are rarely seen more than once, apparitions of the dead which are seen repeatedly over a period of time and which apparently haunt the same location are commonly known as ghosts, most recorded cases or reports of apparitions are more likely to be associated with the living Doppelganger than of a dead person or animal, few sightings are visual, most however involve the sensing of a presence sometimes accompanied by touch, hearing strange noises, perhaps thumps, rapping's, moanings and smells of unexplainable odors.

 Some apparitions can seem quite normal and solid in appearance to the observer others see faint images, blobs, streaks or patches of light, including vortex's a new theory suggest that orbs seen by  the observer are now frequently reported as apparitions these are normally solid in shape of white appearance and will appear and disappear just as suddenly as an apparition, strange how these only seem to appear on photographs taken with digital cameras and rarely on 35mm film.

Banshee:

 An omen spirit from Ireland and Scotland that appears to people to warn them of impending violent and untimely death.

Bogey:

 Also referred to as the bogey man in British folklore, these are classed as horrible or evil spirits which love to be mischievous, sometimes they are synonymous with the devil, usually the bogey is big and nasty and will normally scare small children, years ago the threat of calling upon the bogey-man was used by parents to frighten children into good behavior.

Cold Spot:

 An area of psychic energy with a considerable amount of temperature change, can be free floating, or stationary. All other possibilities must be ruled out before this is to be considered.

Demonic Spirit:

 An entity or spirit spawning from the devil that is or was of this earth. They have the capability of human possession, and the strength greater than any flesh and blood creature. Never challenge this type of entity. Usually demonic spirits are distinguished by their dark, or black masses of psychic energy. These spirits can be seen with film, video, and sometimes with the naked eye.

Doppelganger: 

 Doppelgangers (Doubles) are normally the ghosts of living people or animals that are exact duplicates including dress, this could possibly be a projected out of body experience either consciously or unconsciously or a death omen, typically "double-goers" are seen by others in distant locations just as the individual in question is about to die or has died.

Ectoplasm:

 A product of psychic energy which usually forms as a fog like mist, solid white mass, or vortexes.

Ekimmu: 

 The evil ghost of an individual who is denied entrance to the underworld and is doomed to walk the earth for eternity, (Ekimmu) means "that which is snatched away", one could become an ekimmu by dying a violent death such as murder, drowning, or any other unsavory death, the ekimmu is very difficult to eradicate (exorcise), it is greatly feared and can sometimes attach itself to any living person regardless of whether that person had been acquainted with the dead one or not.

Electro-Magnetic Field Meter (EMF):

 This is a "must" have for ghost hunters. This tool detects the changes in the Electro-Magnetic Field. This field is around everything. From TV's to Power Boxes. So care must be used in your "possible" ghost. The normal reading for paranormal activity is between 2.0 and 8.0. Above this is usually man-made in origin.

Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP):

 Is the practice of getting voices recorded on tapes, usually audio. Usually nothing is heard at the time of the recording. Only during playback do you hear the hushed and gravely voices.

Ghost:  

 The most popular term used to describe paranormal oddities parapsychologists prefer to call ghosts apparitions, ghosts may be visible though only a small percentage are seen, generally ghosts make there presence known through mysterious smells, noises, cold breezes and movement of objects, these are animus or disembodied souls, contrary to popular belief most ghosts are seen in structured houses and not in graveyards.

Ghoul:

 A demon supposed to feed on the dead.

Ouija:

 A board with the alphabet and other symbols on it, and a planchette that is thought when touched with the fingers, to move in such a way as to spell out spiritualistic and telepathic messages on the board

Poltergeist:

 Polter, German word meaning to knock, Geist ( Gist )meaning ghost (knock ghost), these disembodied souls make there presence known by being malevolent and mischievous, they are characterized by moving objects and generally cause physical disturbances, including stone throwing, objects levitating, terrible smells, raps, physical and sexual assaults, shrieks, bitings, spitting, pinchings, being punched, repeatedly dialed numbers on telephones, and moving furniture, sometimes the shutting of doors and opening of windows plus the materialization of apparitions occurring frequently, poltergeist activity usually starts and stops as suddenly as it begins, lasting from a few hours to years but will rarely last longer than a few months, in modern times poltergeists are widely believed to be a voluntary or unconscious type of psycho kinesis (PK) on the part of the living or so called agent.
 There are 5 stages concerning poltergeist activity these are...

Stage 1. Attacking the senses.
 Feel cold spots.
 Hear Strange Noises.
 Hear Footsteps.
 Smell strange smells.

Stage 2. Attacking the senses more directly.
 Hear voices, crying, or laughing.
 See moving shadows that catch your eye.
 Feel cold breezes.

Stage 3. More positive signs you have a poltergeist.
 Electrical appliances can turn on and off without explanation.
 Doors open and close without help.
 People feel as though they are been touched or grabbed by an unseen force.
 Voices will seem clearer and almost audible.

Stage 4. The first level of danger.
 People feel stronger pushes and shoves
 Objects disappear and reappear sometimes in different places.
 Objects can fly around.

Stage 5. Final Stage, you can be in real danger.
 Pushes and shoves can now cause physical harm.
 Shouting.

Phan'tasm:

 Vision of absent person; illusion-<u>Phantasmagoria<../u>-crowd of dim or unreal figures, also a device used for ghost-making as a popular entertainment in the 18th century developed by E.G. Robertson around the 1790's for projecting convincing figures before an audience.

Phantom:

Meaning Apparition, spectre, ghost, fancied visions..

Possession:

 When a persons mind or body are taken over by ghosts, spirits, or other supernatural entities such as demons.

Radio Voice Phenomenon (RVP) :

 Receiving the voices of deceased human being over a regular radio. i.e.: CB , AM/FM , HAM etc...

Séances:

 A sitting organized for the purpose of receiving spirit communications or paranormal manifestations via the services of a medium.   A circular arrangement of chairs around a table seems to work best, with no more than eight sitters.   Séances are most often held in the home of either the medium or one of the sitters, but they can take place anywhere two or more people gather for such purpose.   Mediums consider music and conversation to be vital to the success of the séance.   Most sittings open with hymns and prayers. Not every séance is successful, and sitters should not expect particular results.

Shadow ghosts, dark entities:

 These ghosts usually appear as a shadow of sorts. They look a bit like Ecto-mist but with form and are normally reported to be two feet in length or longer and tend to travel at a height of two to ten feet. In photographs it's easy to confuse them with natural shadows so be careful. They are usually 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 are often spotted in a mirror as well.

Sixth Sense: Extrasensory Perception (ESP) :

 The acquisition of information by means beyond the five human senses.

Streaming ghost energy:

 Streaming lines of energy

Supernatural:

 Something that exists or occurs through some means other than any known force in nature. As opposed to paranormal, the term "supernatural" often connotes divine or demonic intervention.

Vortex, funnel ghosts:

 A vortex is a very strange and mysterious phenomena. They usually take on the appearance of a swirling funnel shape when moving about. They can also appear in pictures as being long and narrow and having a tread like design within their body. They are readily confused with a speeding orb when they slow down and take on this straight & narrow look. It's not presently known if a vortex has ever been captured on video tape. It should be noted that they are often felt as a cold spot.

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