What is a Haunting?

First off there are several types of hauntings: Poltergeist, Residual, Intelligent, and Inhuman.

Here we will discuss these different types.

The Poltergeist:

This is a spirit, usually mischievous , which manifests its presence by making noises, and moving objects. On occasion it may be malevolent, assaulting people and animals. The term "poltergeist" comes from the German , "to knock," and , "spirit."

Some of the most common poltergeist activities are: moving or throwing of objects, including large pieces of furniture; loud noises and shrieks; and vile smells. Since poltergeists are made up of energy they have the ability in many cases to cause interference in telephones and electronic equipment, and turning lights and appliances on and off. In some cases the poltergeist is able to physically affect the living by "touch"

Some cases of unexplained poltergeists may involve actual spirits. In others the phenomena may be produced by subconscious psychokinesis of the living human involved. This is often a young adult female experiencing great change in her life, be it mental or physical or chemical change. The activity appears to be from a haunting when in fact it is the living person manifesting these occurances without realizing it.

The Residual:

A residual haunt is believed to be activity of reoccurring or traumatic actions from past events that leave an imprint on the environment. Think of it like a movie on a DVD.

This type is probably the most common type of haunting. People often mistake it for an intelligent/traditional haunting. Like intelligent haunts, some examples of activity are phantom footsteps, sounds, images, and scents. One major difference between this haunting and the intelligent/traditional haunting, is that this type of haunting is not considered to be that of a ghost, and there is no interaction with the living.

It is believed that this activity is the dissipation of stored energy from the site. The theory is the energy is stored or absorbed by the site due to repetitive or traumatic events of the energy expended while performing such actions. Think of it like a movie on a DVD the energy is stored in the magnetic field of the environment. Over time the energy builds up and is discharged showing a replay of the event, and then the cycle starts again. Some suggest that atmospheric conditions such as storms may initiate the playback.

The Intelligent:

The most widely accepted kind of ghost activity, although it's not as common as you might think. Here, the spirit present because of a connection to the site or to the people. This ghost is thought of as the spirit of a person who once lived and who has stayed behind in our world instead of passing over to the other side.

It is believed a traumatic event or unfinished business has kept the spirit here on this plane. The spirits often lingers because of emotions that tie them to the earth, from anger to love. In some cases, there is the chance the spirit does not even realize they are dead (like Patrick Swayze in Ghost). This can occur when the death is sudden.

Spirits are made up of the energy that once made up the personality of a living person. These intelligent spirits are not evil or demonic. Spirits are simply human personalities, or souls. If the spirit was a kind and caring person in life, the spirit will most likely be after life. So it stands to reason angry and cruel people will also keep those same qualities about them as spirits. These negative spirits can be frightening, especially to people not trained in the paranormal. In very rare cases they have been able to harm the living, but that is generally not the case. It is much more common to hear of an encounter with a benevolent spirit than with a negative one.

The Inhuman:

Inhuman spirits are exactly what the name implies. These spirits have never been a human. They exist as an entity of their own. Some claim that inhuman spirits are demons or evil spirits that were cast out of heaven with Satan. These spirits roam the earth in search of someone whom they can possess. Others believe that inhuman entities can also be angelic or Good Spirits that are here for protection.

It is believed that inhuman dark spirits harbor extreme hatred towards humans and that all of their activities are designed to pave the way to breaking the person’s will and taking possession of their body.

Inhuman spirits are able to manifest themselves in any form they choose or to act similar to a Poltergeist.