Residual
This is probably the most common of hauntings. It is possible that these hauntings have nothing to do with an actual
ghost. Many of the locations where these hauntings occur experience an event that imprints itself on the atmosphere
of that particular location. This energy can suddenly discharge and play itself at various times just as a recording
would. These events are not always visual. They can be replayed as sounds and noises and have no apparent
explanation. Hearing phantom footsteps is a perfect example of a residual haunting. Also famous battlefields and
crime scenes and places where traumatic events have taken place such as in England and the Tower of London. But
this is not always the case. In other situations, the images have been created by a series of events that have been
repeated over and over again. These frequent and repetitive releases of energy also seem capable of leaving a
lasting impression. A good example of this can be realized from the large number of haunted staircases that have
been reported over the years in homes and public buildings, It's possible that, because of the number of times people
go up and down these sets of stairs, the energy expended leaves a mark on the site. These locations act like giant
storage batteries, saving up impressions of sights and sounds from the past. Then as the years go by, these
impressions appear again as if a film projector has started to run. Much of this activity can be experienced as
apparitions but sounds and smells are common, too. Many of them will be associated with the past history of the
location and can be distinctive to that certain place.
This is probably the most common of hauntings. It is possible that these hauntings have nothing to do with an actual
ghost. Many of the locations where these hauntings occur experience an event that imprints itself on the atmosphere
of that particular location. This energy can suddenly discharge and play itself at various times just as a recording
would. These events are not always visual. They can be replayed as sounds and noises and have no apparent
explanation. Hearing phantom footsteps is a perfect example of a residual haunting. Also famous battlefields and
crime scenes and places where traumatic events have taken place such as in England and the Tower of London. But
this is not always the case. In other situations, the images have been created by a series of events that have been
repeated over and over again. These frequent and repetitive releases of energy also seem capable of leaving a
lasting impression. A good example of this can be realized from the large number of haunted staircases that have
been reported over the years in homes and public buildings, It's possible that, because of the number of times people
go up and down these sets of stairs, the energy expended leaves a mark on the site. These locations act like giant
storage batteries, saving up impressions of sights and sounds from the past. Then as the years go by, these
impressions appear again as if a film projector has started to run. Much of this activity can be experienced as
apparitions but sounds and smells are common, too. Many of them will be associated with the past history of the
location and can be distinctive to that certain place.
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What Causes a Haunting?
What causes a place to become haunted? No one really knows. In fact, there are so many types of hauntings from
human ghosts, animal ghosts and even ghost ships, that no one has ever been able to come up with a general
theory that can explain all of them. Any single theory would have to cover an immense variety of phenomena and it
just can't be done. Such a theory would have to explain why apparitions are seen in one location, but not in others. It
would have to provide a solution for phantom footsteps, cold spots, strange smells and much more. Developing such
a theory is no easy matter, especially as few researchers can really agree about what underlying force causes a
haunting in the first place.
What causes a place to become haunted? No one really knows. In fact, there are so many types of hauntings from
human ghosts, animal ghosts and even ghost ships, that no one has ever been able to come up with a general
theory that can explain all of them. Any single theory would have to cover an immense variety of phenomena and it
just can't be done. Such a theory would have to explain why apparitions are seen in one location, but not in others. It
would have to provide a solution for phantom footsteps, cold spots, strange smells and much more. Developing such
a theory is no easy matter, especially as few researchers can really agree about what underlying force causes a
haunting in the first place.
What is a Haunting?
What is a Haunting? According to the definition, it is the "repeated manifestation of strange and inexplicable sensory
phenomena at a certain location". But does this mean that a haunting is always associated with an actual ghost? No,
it doesn't, but let's assume that hauntings are connected to paranormal activity. There are no general patterns to
hauntings, which is what makes them so hard to define. Some phenomena may manifest on occasion or even
continually, for periods that last from several days to centuries. Other manifestations may only occur on certain
anniversaries, in accordance with distinctive weather conditions, or for reasons that make no sense whatsoever.
Most people assume that hauntings involve apparitions, or the ghosts of the dead, but, actually, apparitions are
connected to a minority of cases. Most hauntings involve noises like phantom footsteps; strange, unexplained
sounds; tapping; knocking; and even voices and spots and breezes; and being touched by unseen hands. Other
hauntings can involve poltergeist activity such as furniture and solid objects being moved about; broken glass;
doors that open and close by themselves; and the paranormal manipulation of lights and electrical devices, circuits
and outlets. Visitors to haunted places often report a variety of emotions, including anger and fear, when negative
forces are at work. Many cases like this are mistakenly labeled as "evil" or "demonic". Other sites seem to involve
friendly, or at least benign emotions.
What is a Haunting? According to the definition, it is the "repeated manifestation of strange and inexplicable sensory
phenomena at a certain location". But does this mean that a haunting is always associated with an actual ghost? No,
it doesn't, but let's assume that hauntings are connected to paranormal activity. There are no general patterns to
hauntings, which is what makes them so hard to define. Some phenomena may manifest on occasion or even
continually, for periods that last from several days to centuries. Other manifestations may only occur on certain
anniversaries, in accordance with distinctive weather conditions, or for reasons that make no sense whatsoever.
Most people assume that hauntings involve apparitions, or the ghosts of the dead, but, actually, apparitions are
connected to a minority of cases. Most hauntings involve noises like phantom footsteps; strange, unexplained
sounds; tapping; knocking; and even voices and spots and breezes; and being touched by unseen hands. Other
hauntings can involve poltergeist activity such as furniture and solid objects being moved about; broken glass;
doors that open and close by themselves; and the paranormal manipulation of lights and electrical devices, circuits
and outlets. Visitors to haunted places often report a variety of emotions, including anger and fear, when negative
forces are at work. Many cases like this are mistakenly labeled as "evil" or "demonic". Other sites seem to involve
friendly, or at least benign emotions.
The Traditional Haunting
The Traditional, or Intelligent, Haunting is perhaps the most widely accepted kind of ghost activity, although it's really
not as common as you might think. In this kind of case, the spirit or entity involved is an "intelligent" or "interactive"
presence in a haunted location. It is there because of a connection to the site or to the people at the location. This
ghost is best, and most simply, described as the personality of a person who has stayed behind in our world instead
of passing on at the time of death. This may happen for many reasons such as murder, suicide, or traumatic and
sudden death or maybe even unfinished business. At the time of death, the spirit refused to pass on because of
these events. They may also linger because of emotions that tie them to the earth, from anger to love. It may not
have been that the person did not pass on because they couldn't, but because they didn't want to. In other cases,
there is a chance that the spirit didn't even realize they had died. This may occur when a death is sudden or
unexpected, like with an accident or murder. These spirits are now the energy that once made up the personality of a
living person. Now that the human body is gone, that energy is all that remains. These interactive spirits are not evil
or demonic. The spirits are simply human personalities and seem to retain the same traits that they had when they
were alive. If a person was kind and caring in life, the spirit will be benevolent. On the other hand, if that person was
angry or cruel, those qualities are likely to manifest.
The Traditional, or Intelligent, Haunting is perhaps the most widely accepted kind of ghost activity, although it's really
not as common as you might think. In this kind of case, the spirit or entity involved is an "intelligent" or "interactive"
presence in a haunted location. It is there because of a connection to the site or to the people at the location. This
ghost is best, and most simply, described as the personality of a person who has stayed behind in our world instead
of passing on at the time of death. This may happen for many reasons such as murder, suicide, or traumatic and
sudden death or maybe even unfinished business. At the time of death, the spirit refused to pass on because of
these events. They may also linger because of emotions that tie them to the earth, from anger to love. It may not
have been that the person did not pass on because they couldn't, but because they didn't want to. In other cases,
there is a chance that the spirit didn't even realize they had died. This may occur when a death is sudden or
unexpected, like with an accident or murder. These spirits are now the energy that once made up the personality of a
living person. Now that the human body is gone, that energy is all that remains. These interactive spirits are not evil
or demonic. The spirits are simply human personalities and seem to retain the same traits that they had when they
were alive. If a person was kind and caring in life, the spirit will be benevolent. On the other hand, if that person was
angry or cruel, those qualities are likely to manifest.
Portal Hauntings
Without a doubt, portal hauntings will be the most controversial of the hauntings discussed here. The problem is
that this type of haunting is the least understood and least traditional of the forms of activity that we know of. Lets
talk about cemeteries. The theory behind some cemetery phenomena has been linked to what a few researchers
call "portals" or "doorways". Dismissed by some and embraced by others, the idea of a portal is still mostly theory
and conjecture but, the idea explains a lot of things about cemetery hauntings and even some short-lived
paranormal flaps, or outbreaks. The idea of a portal to another dimension is not a new one. It has been
suggested that there exist places all over the world that serve as doorways from our world to another. These
doorways may provide access for entities to travel between worlds. They may be the spirits of people who have
lived before, or they may be something else altogether. Some researchers even believe that they could be
otherworldly beings from some dimension that we cannot comprehend. In famous cases like "The Mothman" or
"The Mad Gasser" of Mattoon, Illinois, it may even be possible that such a portal opened for a short time in a
specific area, allowing these figures to wreak havoc for a brief period only to later vanish without a trace. This may
all sound far fetched, but it may not be as strange as it seems. The entities that have been sighted, reported and
even photographed around what many believe to be portals could be spirits of the dead. If locations like these do
exist and they are some sort of doorway, it's possible these spots may have been labeled as being "haunted"
over the years by people who saw something near them that they couldn't explain. The majority of events that
might fit into a portal haunting category seem to come from cemeteries, although no location can be ruled out.
With cemeteries the best way to watch for them is to be on the lookout for graveyards that are rumored to be
haunted. Be aware of stores(from cemeteries and other spots) that involve glowing balls of light that are seen with
the naked eye, odd creatures, strange shapes, or unexplained images. With a home or building, these doorways
can be harder to ascertain. In this type of haunting though, the spirits that are present may be more numerous
than in any traditional haunting and are always unconnected to the history of the building. The site may be
nothing more than a crossover point, which can be confusing to those doing research.
Without a doubt, portal hauntings will be the most controversial of the hauntings discussed here. The problem is
that this type of haunting is the least understood and least traditional of the forms of activity that we know of. Lets
talk about cemeteries. The theory behind some cemetery phenomena has been linked to what a few researchers
call "portals" or "doorways". Dismissed by some and embraced by others, the idea of a portal is still mostly theory
and conjecture but, the idea explains a lot of things about cemetery hauntings and even some short-lived
paranormal flaps, or outbreaks. The idea of a portal to another dimension is not a new one. It has been
suggested that there exist places all over the world that serve as doorways from our world to another. These
doorways may provide access for entities to travel between worlds. They may be the spirits of people who have
lived before, or they may be something else altogether. Some researchers even believe that they could be
otherworldly beings from some dimension that we cannot comprehend. In famous cases like "The Mothman" or
"The Mad Gasser" of Mattoon, Illinois, it may even be possible that such a portal opened for a short time in a
specific area, allowing these figures to wreak havoc for a brief period only to later vanish without a trace. This may
all sound far fetched, but it may not be as strange as it seems. The entities that have been sighted, reported and
even photographed around what many believe to be portals could be spirits of the dead. If locations like these do
exist and they are some sort of doorway, it's possible these spots may have been labeled as being "haunted"
over the years by people who saw something near them that they couldn't explain. The majority of events that
might fit into a portal haunting category seem to come from cemeteries, although no location can be ruled out.
With cemeteries the best way to watch for them is to be on the lookout for graveyards that are rumored to be
haunted. Be aware of stores(from cemeteries and other spots) that involve glowing balls of light that are seen with
the naked eye, odd creatures, strange shapes, or unexplained images. With a home or building, these doorways
can be harder to ascertain. In this type of haunting though, the spirits that are present may be more numerous
than in any traditional haunting and are always unconnected to the history of the building. The site may be
nothing more than a crossover point, which can be confusing to those doing research.
Information and excerpts from Troy Taylor and The Ghost Hunters Handbook
The Mothman
The Mad Gasser