Types of Paranormal encounters, advanced thoughts
by Andy Hagerty
We covered the basic types of hauntings in para 101. This purpose of this section is to get just a little more in-depth on the various types and sub types of Paranormal encounters.
Human Related
The most commonly thought of when people talk of haunting, usually broken down into several catagories.
- Residual
A residual haunting is believed to be the imprint of a prior event that replays at regular intervals throughout time. The ghost involved is not a
cognizant entity and cannot interact with the living. Many apparitions are always viewed repeating the same motions or scenes. Usually these ghosts pay little or no attention to the observer and go through the motions of the event that occurred in the past.
Residual haunting can be considered as a visual play back of a past event that has been imprinted on the area or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right. Many believe that certain natural or man made building materials act as a type of storage device, allowing memories to be imprinted upon them and replayed at intervals.
Although it is uncertain how this imprint is created, it is believed that a highly emotional or traumatic event somehow imprints on the environment, creating an image or sounds that function much like a video or audio recording. 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 energy is released just as a mere video recorder. It appears that certain geological features like water and some types of stone create the ideal setting for this to take place.
cognizant entity and cannot interact with the living. Many apparitions are always viewed repeating the same motions or scenes. Usually these ghosts pay little or no attention to the observer and go through the motions of the event that occurred in the past.
Residual haunting can be considered as a visual play back of a past event that has been imprinted on the area or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right. Many believe that certain natural or man made building materials act as a type of storage device, allowing memories to be imprinted upon them and replayed at intervals.
Although it is uncertain how this imprint is created, it is believed that a highly emotional or traumatic event somehow imprints on the environment, creating an image or sounds that function much like a video or audio recording. 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 energy is released just as a mere video recorder. It appears that certain geological features like water and some types of stone create the ideal setting for this to take place.
- Intelligent - there are several subtypes types
We define Intelligent entities in several other places on the sie, but we would like to breal it down for you a little more.
*Lost souls
Lost souls are a type of Intelligent haunting but the entity is a lost and confused soul. Often this type of spirit just does not know they
are dead. They are sometimes sacred, sometime angry but often just want to know what is going on. How many times do you see living people when confronted by an unknown situation just get angry and yell. The passed are people too and often have known personality traits. This type of haunting is usually able to be cleared up by assisting the spirit to understand their situation and assist them in passing over.
are dead. They are sometimes sacred, sometime angry but often just want to know what is going on. How many times do you see living people when confronted by an unknown situation just get angry and yell. The passed are people too and often have known personality traits. This type of haunting is usually able to be cleared up by assisting the spirit to understand their situation and assist them in passing over.
*Trapped souls
Trapped souls are entities that would like to move on but are being held back. This can be due to a more powerful human or non human entity’s actions. This can also be due to the location. These souls often try to communicate with the living and are helpful about letting us know they are trapped. Sometimes they cannot tell why they are trapped either due to ignorance themselves or forced to secrecy.
*Posers
Posers are human spirits that often try to make themselves out to look like something else. They will try to appear like death, a demonic presence or some other bid scary entity. They often share a lot of characteristics of a living bully. They are usually unhappy spirits. They sometimes use their posing to keep other souls trapped.
*With Unfinished Business
Some spirits did not get a task of objective completed before they died. This often happens in a disaster, accident or other untimely violent death.
These spirits are usually able to be crossed over without too much effort. Once you find out what they need to get accomplished. The problem we have run into is they, themselves do not always know why they are here.
These spirits are usually able to be crossed over without too much effort. Once you find out what they need to get accomplished. The problem we have run into is they, themselves do not always know why they are here.
*Protectors
Some spirits have such a sense of duty to other people or a physical location they stay to protect it. The form a kind of attachment to a place,
person, or maybe a family line. They will often interact with the living to give them a series of warning of some impending calamity. They have also been known to manifest to assist a family member at a crucial time. These spirits mean no harm, and will not leave until they feel their duty to what they are protecting is done. It is best to leave them alone if a gentle request for them to pass over to the other side is ignored. They usually appear benign, unless you are threatening their protected object.
person, or maybe a family line. They will often interact with the living to give them a series of warning of some impending calamity. They have also been known to manifest to assist a family member at a crucial time. These spirits mean no harm, and will not leave until they feel their duty to what they are protecting is done. It is best to leave them alone if a gentle request for them to pass over to the other side is ignored. They usually appear benign, unless you are threatening their protected object.
Non - Human
comming soon
-Demonic
comming soon
Angelic
comming soon
-Nature
comming soon
*Elementals
Elementals are a type of nature spirit. They are believed to exist as the life force in all living things but within the context of one of the four basic
building blocks of nature. They are expressed in the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Elementals are looked upon as protectors of places with natural power. They are also keepers or benevolent creatures that maintain natural harmony of their locations. They can be dangerous is certain situations, usually to despoilers of their protected areas. Some elementals are said to be deceitful and hateful toward human beings and enjoy causing accidents and tragedies. Some are merely curious as to what we are, and just are so different that harm may be inadvertently caused.
The elementals related to earth are the often referred to as gnomes, who appear around caves and mountains. The elementals related the air are often referred to as sylphs, and appear as butterflies. The elementals related to the water are often referred to as undines, and appear as waves. The elementals related to fire are often referred to as salamanders, lizard-like creatures that frolic in flames. The pure elemental does not have the proper corporeality or material substance. It is ethereal in substance although it does partakes to some extent of the nature it inhabits.
Elementals often inhabit places of great natural, untamed wilderness. They can have a small area or a large area they inhabit. Many times they are worshiped by the local indigenous peoples as part of their nature based belief system. This is extremely prevalent in societies that are closer to
nature than your average modern "civilized" nations.
Interest in the elementals increased during the Middle Ages and Renaissance when practitioners alchemy and magic sought to acquire nature's secrets so to be able to control her forces. The origin of the belief in their existence seems to be similar to the one previously mentioned; the belief in elementals was at its height when everything in nature was thought to possess life, and these spirits were thought to live in every tree, stream, hill, cloud, and boulder.
building blocks of nature. They are expressed in the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Elementals are looked upon as protectors of places with natural power. They are also keepers or benevolent creatures that maintain natural harmony of their locations. They can be dangerous is certain situations, usually to despoilers of their protected areas. Some elementals are said to be deceitful and hateful toward human beings and enjoy causing accidents and tragedies. Some are merely curious as to what we are, and just are so different that harm may be inadvertently caused.
The elementals related to earth are the often referred to as gnomes, who appear around caves and mountains. The elementals related the air are often referred to as sylphs, and appear as butterflies. The elementals related to the water are often referred to as undines, and appear as waves. The elementals related to fire are often referred to as salamanders, lizard-like creatures that frolic in flames. The pure elemental does not have the proper corporeality or material substance. It is ethereal in substance although it does partakes to some extent of the nature it inhabits.
Elementals often inhabit places of great natural, untamed wilderness. They can have a small area or a large area they inhabit. Many times they are worshiped by the local indigenous peoples as part of their nature based belief system. This is extremely prevalent in societies that are closer to
nature than your average modern "civilized" nations.
Interest in the elementals increased during the Middle Ages and Renaissance when practitioners alchemy and magic sought to acquire nature's secrets so to be able to control her forces. The origin of the belief in their existence seems to be similar to the one previously mentioned; the belief in elementals was at its height when everything in nature was thought to possess life, and these spirits were thought to live in every tree, stream, hill, cloud, and boulder.
-The Fey
comming soon
Attachements
-Possessed objects
Inanimate objects that move, make noise or change shape. Sometimes a particular piece of furniture will refuse to change place, or conversely moving in front of the owner's eyes.
One of the most famous of this Phenomenon is Haunted Dolls. We have a whole series on this in the Library.
Other notorious haunted objects are the various means of transport, phantom ships, ghost trains that rumble through the night on their old runs, even if the railway line has been removed.
Some objects are said to be cursed like the hope Diamond, or the treasure of King Tut. Other objects are animated by spirits to aport around.
Regarding trains, ships and other transports, it seems that their apparition is mostly linked to past dramatic facts. Their appearance is close to what would happen just as residual haunting.
One of the most famous of this Phenomenon is Haunted Dolls. We have a whole series on this in the Library.
Other notorious haunted objects are the various means of transport, phantom ships, ghost trains that rumble through the night on their old runs, even if the railway line has been removed.
Some objects are said to be cursed like the hope Diamond, or the treasure of King Tut. Other objects are animated by spirits to aport around.
Regarding trains, ships and other transports, it seems that their apparition is mostly linked to past dramatic facts. Their appearance is close to what would happen just as residual haunting.
-Attached spirits
We also have run into spirits who attach themselves to people. They will follow them from location to location, or even around in the course of a day. The spirits may not have any mal intent, or conversely may wish harm upon the person to whom they are attached.
Shadow people
Reports of shadow people have existed throughout history. The observer generally reports seeing a dark shadow that resembles the form of a human which appears and moves of its own accord. The figures does not have distinguishable facial features and may be either much
smaller or larger than a human. Shadow people have been observed in daylight and many have observed them in full vision. They are more commonly noticed as movement from the corner of the eye, sometimes disappearing when the observer turns to investigate.
Shadow people may move quickly across a room, Sometimes moving with a strange gate. They usually disappear through the wall or closed door. Many report a feeling of extreme dread or fear accompanying the sighting. Others have reported that when the shadow moves across their physical being a feeling of extreme cold overcomes their body. As With may paranormal encounters the sensation of coldness disappears once the apparition is gone.
Many believe that shadow people are the ghost of someone who has passed on but is not able to leave this physical world for some reason. Others believe that shadow people are creatures of another dimension that somehow overlaps our own, causing it to be partially visible. Many have captured images of what they believe to be shadow people in photographs.
Other paranormal enthusiast believe that shadow people were never human at all and are a demonic spirit that embodies pure evil. Some have reported seeing glowing red eyes, but generally shadow people appear as a simple form that resembles the human form. Some report the presence of a hat or cape. One thing in common is that shadow people often try to avoid detection and like to observe from corners of the room, usually at night.
A state, known as hypnogogia, a physiological condition when a person is half way between sleeping and waking, could explain some sightings. During hypnogogia, the individual can be aware of the environment and at the same time be in a dream like state where they can
receive images from the subconscious that they perceive to be real. In this waking-sleep state, similar to sleep paralysis, the individual often reports the sensation of dread that may be accompanied by shadows or flickering lights or other visual hallucinations. Hypnogogia could explain many instances of people reporting shadow people, but it does not explain the appearances observed by those who are wide awake or day time sightings.
Other skeptics attribute shadow people to nothing more than overactive imaginations and neurological disorders that trigger hallucinations or visual disturbances. This may be true in some cases, but does not explain images caught on film or shadow people who have been observed by more than one person.
Two common types of Shadow People are the ‘hat man’, that looks like he or she is wearing a 1930s fedora hat and the ‘hooded figure’, which looks like the shadow person has a hood over their head.
smaller or larger than a human. Shadow people have been observed in daylight and many have observed them in full vision. They are more commonly noticed as movement from the corner of the eye, sometimes disappearing when the observer turns to investigate.
Shadow people may move quickly across a room, Sometimes moving with a strange gate. They usually disappear through the wall or closed door. Many report a feeling of extreme dread or fear accompanying the sighting. Others have reported that when the shadow moves across their physical being a feeling of extreme cold overcomes their body. As With may paranormal encounters the sensation of coldness disappears once the apparition is gone.
Many believe that shadow people are the ghost of someone who has passed on but is not able to leave this physical world for some reason. Others believe that shadow people are creatures of another dimension that somehow overlaps our own, causing it to be partially visible. Many have captured images of what they believe to be shadow people in photographs.
Other paranormal enthusiast believe that shadow people were never human at all and are a demonic spirit that embodies pure evil. Some have reported seeing glowing red eyes, but generally shadow people appear as a simple form that resembles the human form. Some report the presence of a hat or cape. One thing in common is that shadow people often try to avoid detection and like to observe from corners of the room, usually at night.
A state, known as hypnogogia, a physiological condition when a person is half way between sleeping and waking, could explain some sightings. During hypnogogia, the individual can be aware of the environment and at the same time be in a dream like state where they can
receive images from the subconscious that they perceive to be real. In this waking-sleep state, similar to sleep paralysis, the individual often reports the sensation of dread that may be accompanied by shadows or flickering lights or other visual hallucinations. Hypnogogia could explain many instances of people reporting shadow people, but it does not explain the appearances observed by those who are wide awake or day time sightings.
Other skeptics attribute shadow people to nothing more than overactive imaginations and neurological disorders that trigger hallucinations or visual disturbances. This may be true in some cases, but does not explain images caught on film or shadow people who have been observed by more than one person.
Two common types of Shadow People are the ‘hat man’, that looks like he or she is wearing a 1930s fedora hat and the ‘hooded figure’, which looks like the shadow person has a hood over their head.
- "Hat Man" Shadow
The Fedora Hat Man seems a different sort of shadow person entity. For one, he is sometimes reported with glowing red eyes. He has been seen around the globe and has no geographical territory. People report a feeling of absolute terror upon seeing this particular shadow entity. People claim hat they can feel this entity seemingly feed off their terror. Unlike the normal shadow person, hat man doesn't fade for scuttle off, he walks away like a human. This shadow figure seems to have more substance. Many paranormal researchers believe this entity is worth studying as it is more malevolent and different then your average shadow person.
- "Hooded Figure" Shadow
These figures usually seem to appear to people in a paralysis state. The look like a hooded, robed shadow person. They have been describes as looking like medieval monks. Not much is know about this type of figure. They too have been spotted world wide.