HELP! A Ghost!
Frequently Asked Questions
About Ghosts
I get asked a tremendous number of questions dealing with ghosts. These are some of the most frequently asked questions. Keep in mind as you are reading that nothing dealing with ghosts is set in stone. Research in this area is fascinating but can also be a bit frustrating... for every question you find an answer to, a ton of other questions pop up. My answers are my opinions and are based on my experience and research along with the countless conversations I have had with other ghost enthusiasts. About the best you can hope for is a theory that proves itself to be at least somewhat solid... and when you are dealing with the Unknown, that is easier said than done. Most of the answers lie in a place that isn't easily reached while still living...
| Nutshell answer: People that died and for whatever reason have not "moved on" yet. In-depth
answer: Not everyone becomes a ghost upon their death, so what is it that causes ghosts to become ghosts? Let's start with some wide generalities. What areas are usually considered haunted? Battlefields. Think about it. Not the glorified battlefield so often shown in the movies but the reality of it. Think of the young soldier facing possible death, cannons and bullets flying, the screams of the mortally wounded, the horror of the blood and bodies scattered around, the terror as they press ever onward towards the enemy and suddenly, with no warning, die. Murder Scenes. Consider most of the ghost stories you have heard. Chances are the story behind it involves a murder. Often, the murder is emotionally charged. Where they killed by their lover? Were they trying to protect their child? Where they pulled from their home in the middle of the night and hung? Where they murdered by someone they trusted or surprised by an intruder? Murders are usually unexpected, sudden and emotionally charged. Graveyards. Not many people die in graveyards but due to the nature of what they are, they seem to be a logical place to find ghosts. Some ghosts seem to be "tied" to their home or their place of death, others to an object or something that had been special to them, there are also those that are tied to their physical bodies. These are the ones that can often be found in graveyards. There are also those that frequent a graveyard in death because they frequented it in life. Perhaps they were still grieving the loss of a loved one or found comfort at a loved ones grave site. Not everyone that dies in a battle or is murdered becomes a ghost... and not all ghosts were killed in battle or murdered, these just seem to be the most common factors. So why do ghosts become ghosts? One of the most common themes that arises in the theories on this is that they either don't realize that they are dead or that they refuse to acknowledge that they have passed on. Possibly this is due to the fact that so many are involved in sudden and traumatic deaths. Maybe they feel as if there is something they need to do before they move on. Maybe their fear of death is so great that they are afraid of moving on. The modern world talks a tremendous amount about people being in "denial" due to traumatic experiences - can you think of a more traumatic experience than a sudden and horrible death? The "why" and "how" of this subject can get pretty deep and would probably vary from ghost to ghost (just like "why" and "how" varies between person and person on any given subject). There are some excellent references available on this so I will refrain from going into it here (check out my references section if you are interested in learning more). Some people believe that ghosts are in a sort of self-imposed limbo which could be a good way of describing it. They are neither here nor there essentially. They don't have a regular physical existence like they did while they were in a physical body but they have not "moved on" yet. The main thing to relate to here is that ghosts were people before they became ghosts. Just because they are ghosts it doesn't mean that they were BAD people. I think this is a common misconception that leads many people to believe that ghosts are all BAD (of course Hollywood hasn't helped much since so many of the ghosts that they have portrayed over the years have been the Amityville variety which are actually pretty rare, but they make darn good horror stories). |
| Nutshell answer: Depends on the Ghost. In-depth Answer: Most people are basically good people. Most ghosts are basically good ghosts. Some people are a pain in da butt, some ghosts are a pain in da butt. Some people are downright nasty, some ghosts are downright nasty. The number of decent people is much greater than the number of nasty people, the number of decent ghosts is much greater than the number of nasty ghosts. Hum, seems to be a theme here! ;-) You can find a bit more info on this under a few of the other questions. To restate it in each and every spot would be a bit redundant! |
Why are most of the ghosts you see in movies and on TV bad? |
| Nutshell answer: Because the "bad" and "scary" stories sell. In-depth Answer: You probably wouldn't pay to go see a movie about my ghost experience at a haunted church... nothing BAD or frightful happened. In fact, it is one of the most peaceful places I have ever been - and I go back often just because of that. Where is the plot? Where is the horror? Where is the fear? Maybe you would enjoy reading about it on my website (when I actually get around to writing the story), maybe you would even enjoy going there... but would you shell out the bucks to see it in a movie theater? Probably not. If you are sitting around a campfire telling spooky tales at Halloween, do you want to hear the story of the ghost that let the dog out when the owner was late getting home? No, you want to hear about things going bump in the night, chains dragging across the floor, screeches and screams, knives flying through the air.... you want the goose bumps, you want the thrill, you want the scare. Hollywood style Haunted Houses are big business at Halloween. Producers know this. They produce movies with the intent to sell them. ;-) Of course, there have been some good Hollywood Ghost movies (and no, I don't mean Casper). The Movie "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore was great (and actually had some fairly accurate portrayals). "The Sixth Sense" also was good and well received (it also had some pretty sound theories in it). There are a few others that could be listed here, but for the most part people want to see scary ghosts. Hollywood supplies what people want. Unfortunately, this gives Ghosts in general a pretty bad rap. The unknown is hard enough to deal with but when you add the horror flavor on top of that, it can make a situation down right tough to get through. When someone is suddenly and unexpectedly "face to face" with a ghost, they are not only dealing with something totally unknown but they are also dealing with the prejudices and fears that all of those spooky stories carried with them. What they may initially perceive to be a horrible, murdering monster capable of the worst offenses ever carried out on mankind may simply be a sweet little old lady that is still patiently waiting for her son to return home from the war or a gentleman that thinks you have entered into his home uninvited. Don't get me wrong, some ghosts are pranksters and some have bad dispositions, some are just as nasty dead as they were when they were alive. But, how can you tell what you are dealing with if you assume that they are all horrid monsters? How do you deal with a situation when you are so scared you can't think straight? Enjoy the scary movies and ghost stories but remember, they are not the norm when it comes to ghosts. |
Why do I also use the terms "Energy
Anomalies" and "The Unexplained" |
| Nutshell answer: Because not every "Energy Anomaly" is a Ghost and not all "Unexplained" experiences deal with ghosts. In-depth Answer: Can I look at an orb and tell you, beyond any shadow of a doubt that it is a ghost? No. Nor would I want to. It is something that, under normal circumstances should not have shown up on my photograph but that doesn't mean it is a ghost. An orb that shows up in a haunted spot could well be a ghost. Many people consider all orbs to be ghosts. I don't like to draw that tight a distinction. Maybe they are all ghosts, maybe some of them are ghosts and others are something else. I simply don't know and would prefer to leave a little bit of flexibility in that classification. Is a vortex the same thing as a ghost? Not necessarily. Vortex's can show up in haunted areas and areas that are not considered haunted (just like orbs can). Can a ghost show up like a vortex on a photo? Yes, I believe they can. Will every "vortex" type of photo definitely be a ghost? Not necessarily. When strange things show up in an area that is known to be haunted, I am more likely to associate those things with ghosts. When they show up in an area that is not considered haunted, I would tend to label them anomalies. Cold spots often accompany ghosts and researchers have learned that electro-magnetic fields often jump wildly (or increase greatly) around ghosts. These can also be called energy anomalies and can be grouped into the category of the unexplained. The lines that define the three terms are vague at best and can definitely overlap... but that doesn't mean they are all the same thing. |
| Nutshell answer: Try to find a logical explanation for everything before deciding you have a ghost. In-depth
Answer: It also helps to have someone else experience whatever is happening... much better for your own sanity *grin* and it helps to verify that you are not imagining it. If nothing else, try setting up a tape recorder... do you hear the same sounds on the tape? If someone else is experiencing it as well, ask questions back and forth... but do it in a manner that gives you both a chance to verify what you are experiencing. For example, DON'T ask: Did you just hear something that sounded like a box of books being thrown to the floor? Instead ask: Did you just hear something? If the answer is yes, then ask them to describe it. You know what you heard, does their description match yours? Suggest the other person ask questions in the same manner. This way neither of you are leading the other person or using suggestion. |
| Nutshell answer: Talk to it!! In-depth Answer: I know, that sounds totally hokey and weird but you would be amazed at the results that people get from doing such a simple and human thing! Actually, there is something you should do before trying to talk to it. The very first thing that you should do is try to calm yourself down... go back and read some of the sections ahead of this one and remind yourself that just because it is a ghost, it doesn't mean it is a BAD thing. Try to calm your fears. People don't usually think as well and as rationally as they would normally when they are full of fear. Often, people become aware of ghostly activity shortly after moving into a home. Other times, activity is triggered by remodeling or making changes to the current structure. Of course there are other things that can bring it about as well but these seem to be the two primary things. Of course some places just have constant action but if you are just discovering that your home might be haunted, chances are that something has just triggered the activity. I am going to use the situation of moving into a new home and I will copy an example that I used in the story "The Apologetic Ghost": "Let's say you are living in a house and suddenly someone else moves into your home with you. You didn't invite them... you don't know them... you don't know what they are going to do (will they try to get you to leave YOUR home?)... etc. Now, chances are, you would call the police or a lawyer or something like that... but what if you can't? Now perhaps you can see how many ghosts perceive the people that move into THEIR home. Maybe you legally own the home, but they consider it theirs." See how this philosophy would also apply if you are making changes to THEIR home (remodeling, adding a room, etc.)? Talk to the Ghost. Yes, talk! Let them know that you aren't going to run them out. Try to establish a mutual understanding between you and the ghost. I really liked what Ronald did in the story mentioned above... he told the ghost that he wanted to live there in harmony with it. Does this always work? No, not always. I wish I had kept count of the number of people I have suggested this to that have written back and told me that it made a definite difference though. I have even used it myself when I have gone on investigations... letting them know that I am not there to run them out but to learn more about them. Sometimes the change is so dramatic that you can literally feel it. I have tried to stress the fact that ghosts were humans before they became ghosts. How do humans usually react when they are defensive? Often, they strike out in whatever way they can... be it with words or a physical action. Is it so far fetched to think that a ghost might also respond the same way? As with most human communications, treat someone with respect and you have a much better chance of being treated with respect as well. Do the same with the ghosts. Don't yell and scream at them, talk to them. If talking doesn't work there are other options but at least you tried the easiest, simplest and probably best option to start with! If you do find that you have a real problem ghost on your hands, find someone in your area to help you with it. Your best bet is to find someone that has dealt with ghosts before and has a fairly level head on their shoulders. Talk to them, make sure you feel comfortable with them. Find out what their philosophy on the whole thing is. No need to take a bad situation and make it worse. |
| Sorry, no nutshell on this one! There seems to be two distinct types of hauntings. One is where the ghosts seem to carry on their "normal" life to some extent. These are the ones discussed through most of this page. The other type is where the circumstances of their death seem to be repeated over and over and over, almost in a mechanical manner with little to no interaction with our physical world. This type of ghost may not be a "standard" ghost. Perhaps one of the best ways to describe it would be to call it an emotional energy field that acts like a broken record. The theory behind this is that the emotions involved at the time were so strong that they left an imprint on the area. To put this into easy to understand terms, think of it like a moving holographic image etched into the area where it happened. There may be a "ghost" associated with this or it may be nothing more than the emotionally charged energy "hologram" that remains. If there is a ghost associated with it, the theory is that they are "stuck" in the pattern, reliving the horrifying experience over and over and over until they can come to grips with it. There are people that have this sort of thing happen in varying degrees, reliving over and over again in their minds a tragic experience until they either come to grips with it, get help to work through it or end up in a mental hospital. A ghost is not as limited by the physical world so it doesn't occur simply in their minds. |
| Nutshell answer: I don't recommend it. In-depth Answer: For those of you that don't think "unusual" things can happen with the Ouija, read the story "The Experience" in my Readers Contributions section. While that story has a happy ending, not all do. I have heard too many stories of things going a bit awry and creating a mess. One person that use to do a good amount of ghost hunting told me the story of someone actually bringing in some pretty nasty entities through the use of the board. Unfortunately, too many people figure that nothing will happen or that the Ouija is a bunch of bunk.. and too many people end up finding out the hard way that maybe they shouldn't have tempted the unknown to prove its existence. Another sad thing is that too often people think they can handle whatever might come up. Sometimes they are wrong. Of course, sometimes absolutely nothing happens. As far as personal experience goes, I did try the Ouija two times with absolutely nothing happening. I didn't feel comfortable with it at the time and I still don't (which is why I haven't used it again). Even though my personal experiences with it have been totally uneventful, I have heard enough stories of its use (from people that I have known and trusted), that I simply can't recommend its use. |
| Nutshell answer: No! In-depth Answer: This is not a business or a job for me. I do this because it fascinates me. I want to know more and each question that I find an answer to brings with it ten more questions. Many of the photos I have were taken with no idea that something unusual would end up on them. I kick myself for the many years that I was oblivious to this phenomena... if I had been interested at an earlier time, I would have had many more opportunities to do more investigations (I lived in another state and discovered AFTER I moved that there was is a wealth of "haunted" places near where I lived)! But, as I have stated before, it was the unusual things that kept showing up that dragged me, kicking and screaming into this fascination with Ghosts, Energy Anomalies and The Unexplained. |
| Nutshell answer: Research and then just do it! ;-) In-depth Answer: Many areas have groups that research this phenomena. See if your area does... talk to the people involved and find out if they have the same basic philosophies that you do. If you don't feel comfortable with them, don't stay with them. If you do feel comfortable with them, then great! Many different philosophies, beliefs and approaches are out there... the important thing is to find something you feel comfortable with. For example: I have known a few that were interested/involved in this type of research basically for the "thrill" or the "scare" of it... sorry, but that doesn't jive with why I am interested so I don't stay with them. October is a great time for research... simply put, many news organizations (TV, Radio, Newspapers, etc.) run stories on haunting and things that go bump in the night! This can also make them a good resource at other times of the year. Go to the library and search through your local newspaper(s). Contact other news media and see if they recall running stories and who you might contact. Check out local bookstores. Sometimes they also run special lectures (etc.) focused on ghosts (etc.) around Halloween. Find some places that are considered haunted in your area and go check them out! Be safe and use common sense in the process... take a friend or two, follow the laws and if your gut tells you to leave, do it. <g> The best advice is to research and learn all that you can... keep an open mind but at the same time, do your best to use logic to rule out those things that are explainable. Try to keep a balanced approach to it and have fun doing it! Even if you don't run across any ghosts, you can have a great time while looking! |
| Nutshell answer: Most definately! In-depth Answer: If you only read one ghost book, make it "The Ghost of
Flight 401" by John G. Fuller. Another excellent book is "My Search for the Ghost of
Flight 401" by Elizabeth Fuller. A little known book that I also found to be absolutely wonderful is "Scareforce" by Charles D. Hough. True stories of the unexplained in the military! The author is a retired Major and uncovered quite a few fasinating and true ghost stories! It is another one that is out of print. It was published in 1995 by Warner Books. Other good ghost books (that are still in print): If you are really interested in understanding more about ghosts, studying the phenomena
of Near Death Experiences can add depth to your studies and research. It is one of
the few things that can give us a glimpse into the process that gives birth to ghosts.
Some good ones are: I also found that reading some of the books by and about well known Mediums (people who reportedly speak to those that have passed on) has been very enlightening and adds another dimension (pun only partially intended *grin*) to the ghost phenomena. The spirits they communicate with are NOT ghosts but some of them do explain what they believe happens to cause a spirit to spend time in the ghostly realm. I have not liked or agreed with all of the authors that I have read, but
the following books are ones that I highly recommend: Good Ghost Movies: Another good (though a bit unexpected) resource is the Travel Channel (cable and satellite)!! They have some very interesting shows on Haunted: Houses, Lighthouses, Castles, Bed and Breakfasts and who knows what else! I have happened onto some really good and fascinating shows! Good Book/Movie Sources that can also help you to locate out of print
books: |
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