Theories on what hauntings and ghosts may be.

 

On our investigations and events we are often asked to try and explain what ghosts and manifestations are. Through our research, our investigators at Spectral Quest have put forward several ideas to explain the paranormal anomalies that sometimes occur. 

 

These are Stone Tape Theory, Poltergeists and Survival of bodily death.

 

 

Stone Tape Theory

 

This theory became popular in the 1970s as a possible explanation for hauntings and since then it has seen more reserach being carried out into it. 

 

The hypothesis suggests that inanimate material such as crystals in stone can capture energy from living things and store them to be played back like recordings when the conditions are right. The energy may be captured during times of high emtion such as murder, violent death or times of great stress etc. These playbacks are non interactive and are sometimes known as residual hauntings.

 

An example of this would be the classic tale of many historical buildings having a ghost of a lady in white. In many of thiese cases the same story is told of a figure materialising in one corner of a room and is then seen to walk across the room only to vanish at the other end with the figure seemingly unaware of being witnessed. This could be due to the figure actually being a recording of a certain point in time when this person actually did pass that way many times before. Often in these cases, the figure gradually fades away over time becoming grey and then almost transparent. Maybe this is due to degredation in the playback, just as when old video tapes are played over and over until they simply wear out!

 

Currently, how these playbacks are triggered is unknown and not able to be tested. It has been suggested that a particular brain wave activity may be needed or even someone with psychic abilities must be present.

 

Poltergeists

 

This term roughly translates from German and means noisy spirit.

 

In a typical Poltergeist case objects are hurled as if by unseen hands across rooms and often pictures fall off walls or glases, cups etc, fall from shelves and cupboards. One theory is that this is caused by a malevolent spirit or one that is up to mischief. The energy that is needed to manifest comes from someone in that household or area who is vulnerable to this and in many cases this is often a teenager. However, another theory is that the activity comes from the living person themselves. It could be that a person or persons living or working at the scene of the outbreak has some form of psychic or esp ability, which they may not even know they have. This subconscious energy release may take the form of violent outbursts in which objects are sent flying around through the process of telekinesis. If one considers that when as a teenager there are many hormonal and emotional stresses taking place such as puberty, angsts, relationship and school issues, these energies need an outlet and it may be that they take the form of Poltergeist activity.

 

Spirits and Interactive Hauntings

 

In scientific terms this theory revolves around the term, survival of bodily death.  Call it the soul, the spirit, inner energy or consciousness, it is the belief that our inner being survives after the body has died.

 

In some cases of hauntings where ghosts are reported, they are observed to interact with the person seeing them. They seem as aware of the person witnessing them as that person is of seeing the apparition. Some examples include the spirit smiling at them or making some type of gesture to communicate with them. In rare occurances the ghosts have spoken to the witness. Other times the ghost has been felt to touch someone, for example, holding their hand or blowing on them.

 

A good example of an interactive haunting is what is known as a Crisis Apparition. These are reported to be the spirits of loved ones who appear at a time when that person is in a time of stress, peril or neath to death, such as a relative away at war, who appears to a family member who is thousands of miles away.