People tend to see what they wish to believe, and under no circumstance is this more true than with respect to hauntings. Just because a place looks creepy and fits the traditional description of a haunting does not mean there is paranormal activity present. Yet, many people have and do experience phenomena that defies all attempts at explanation, except that it is of paranormal origins.
Some hauntings are interactive, and some are completely removed from the goings on. Some appear to be benign, while others incite fear and trepidation. How a person reacts to the situation many times determines what kind of outcome occurs. We often give the atmosphere the energy needed to propagate and energize what is witnessed.
Having said that, there are certain types of hauntings that seem to follow certain patterns, and have led investigators to classify them. They are imprints, poltergeists, inhuman spirit infestation, earthbound ghosts, and spirit visitation. Each has its own characteristics, as well as ways of origination.
Imprints are said to be energized events that have some connection to an event- usually of an intensely emotional nature. Places where people were killed by trauma, or great suffering has happened are common imprint locations. Witnesses see the same events unfold time and again, and the ghostly actors are oblivious to their surroundings, as if they were a mere recording playing out itself. Manifestations on specific dates or times are very often reported. They are harmless other than being terrifying to witness.
Poltergeists appear to be manifestations of pent up kinetic energy by an individual who is present, and who often witnesses the activity. Experts believe that repressed emotions of a traumatic nature often trigger the haunting, which appears to be an actual entity. As the repressed emotions beleaguer the one who ignores them, the entity tends to attack the “focus” in an angry and determined manner. Many have speculated that the entity is actually a spirit that has connected itself to the focus, who is emanating enormous energy into the environment and making manifestation possible.
Inhuman spirits are the most controversial of all ghostly manifestations, and are usually labeled evil or threatening. Dabblers in occult practices and black magic often invoke these entities, whose mere presence is powerful and frightening. Much more needs to be written about these spirits, as they are difficult to dislodge once they are given free reign into an environment.
Earthbound spirits are simply that: spirits who choose to remain in the physical environment due to a desire to complete a mission or an unwillingness to detach from materialistic pursuits. They are often interactive, but confused and often suffering. I believe personally that these are the most commonly encountered spirits, who inhabit old residences and places of historic significance. They can also be tied to an area by a tragic event or traumatic occurrence. Just as we humans tend to be traumatized by extreme stress and relive the event over and again, these spirits find it difficult to move on.
Spirit visitation is very common and perhaps the least understood. Telepathy, coincidences, dream interaction, and messages through electronic devices are just a few ways that spirits who choose move freely into the spirit world return with messages or communications. Often, the messages are of a reassuring nature and often protective in origin.
