Paranormal Phenomena
Although ghosts and apparitions have been reported for thousands
of years, surprisingly little information is available with regard to their
nature or essence. Ghosts are elusive and unpredictable, and the ways in
which they manifest are surprisingly diverse. Contrary to popular belief,
most ghostly encounters are not visual, but rather consist of noises,
smells, sensations, voices, cold spots, electrical disturbances such as
lights switching off or on, and displacement or movement of objects. Much
of the available data is anecdotal and is therefore prone to exaggeration,
embellishment, and sometimes outright deceit.
Although studies suggest that approximately 1 in 10 of us has the ability to
perceive ghosts, those of us who are actively looking for them are
apparently the least likely to have a ghostly experience. Children seem
more apt to experience manifestations, suggesting that adults develop some
kind of blocking mechanism as they mature. Women seem more attuned than
men, and it appears that the higher your IQ, the less likely you are to
experience ghostly phenomena.
So where does this leave us? Below are five interesting theories to
consider regarding the basics of ghostly manifestations......
Theory #1:
Ghosts are the earthbound souls of the deceased.
This is the most common interpretation when confronted with a visible
apparition, and it certainly does fit many hauntings where the apparition is
more or less recognizable as someone who is deceased. For most of us, this
theory is also comforting, as it hints at a life after the physical body is
gone.
One common example of this type of manifestation is when an individual
suddenly becomes aware of the death of a loved one through one or more
senses. This type of occurrence is often visual, but may just be a sudden
"feeling" as if relayed telepathically, or may even come in the form of a
vivid dream. Typically, this type of manifestation relays important
information to the observer.
We know from science that everything is composed of energy. Our thoughts,
feelings, sensations, experiences, and indeed our very souls are all forms
of energy. The theory is that when the physical body dies, this energy
continues on in some form and can be tapped by living persons sensitive
enough to perceive it. Animals seem to be quite sensitive to this type of
energy, and many very reliable reports of them avoiding certain rooms,
chasing unseen prey, or sitting contently as if being stroked and petted
have been recorded throughout history - another indication that this type of
phenomena is quite interactive.
Theory #2:
Events are somehow recorded in certain surroundings to be replayed over
and over to living people sensitive enough to discern them.
This theory accounts for a lot of our ghost legends and is likely the
source for virtually all hauntings that repeat again and again, such as the
many "lady in white" sightings and ghostly battle reenactments. These
apparitions are often visual, but sounds and smells are common too. The
catalyst that starts the recording is usually very emotional or violent,
such as a war or a mother losing a child. These apparitions never interact
with the observer or acknowledge the presence of the observer in any way.
They are reported as walking through walls or just disappearing into thin
air, and they do not appear to be conducive to photography, though EVP
recordings are occasionally successful.
Although most concur that these types of apparitions do appear to be
"recorded" somehow in the surroundings, there is disagreement on how exactly
we as observers perceive these recordings. One side postulates that it is
something within the observer that sets the recording in motion, and that
the recording thus "plays inside our heads." The other side postulates that
the recording is being played externally for all to see, but that only those
with the right "antenna" can experience it.
Thus, as frightening as this type of manifestation may be, the apparition is
not a thinking entity, nor does it have a will or a purpose, and it is no
more of a threat to the observer than watching a character on a television
show.
Theory #3:
Apparitions are created from some type of naturally-occurring electrical,
magnetic, or electromagnetic condition.
Many serious paranormal researchers believe that measurable properties
such as electricity or magnetism play a part in why we experience ghostly
encounters. Equipment for detecting anomalies in atmospheric, electrical,
and magnetic conditions for the purposes of detecting paranormal activity is
big business these days.
Many different variations on this theme have been postulated through time,
likely originating with the "feelings" reported by observers in the vicinity
of paranormal phenomena. Feelings of "magnetism" are often reported, as are
sensations that the hair is "standing on end," a common occurrence around
fields of high electricity. Temperature fluctuations have become the litmus
test for detecting activity, as have vague feelings of the area being
"energized" by some unknown process.
Many different theories regarding how naturally-occurring elements may
interact to allow for paranormal phenomena have been offered, and include
exotic theories ranging from energy emitted from earth ley lines, natural
geologic fault lines creating bursts of energy, or some kind of natural
vibration or earth harmonic.
One of the few things we do know for sure is that paranormal phenomena is
more likely to be experienced at night, and sure enough, there is an
scientific explanation for why this may be. In short, the earth is covered
by a fluctuating membrane we all know as the atmosphere, which is constantly
being bombarded by a strong solar wind from the sun. During the day, this
membrane is at its thinnest and densest because it is being directly hit by
the solar wind. However, at night, when sheltered from the sun, it expands
much farther into space and has much less resistance (see illustration
below). This explains why television and radio stations come in better at
night, and why you can tune into stations much farther away than is possible
during the day.
Therefore, the reason we see more paranormal activity at night is because
there is much less resistance to every kind of magnetic and electrical
current or force, making it easier for energy-based manifestations to
appear. Indeed, the best time to go on ghost hunts is widely believed to be
between 9 pm and 3 am, with midnight being optimal. For these same
reasons, since ancient times, total eclipses of the sun have been the source
of many legends and tales of paranormal occurrences.
Anyone who has ever gone on a ghost hunt has likely realized before too long
that ghosts can be annoyingly camera shy, and the explanation for this may
very well be related to the above discussion of electricity and magnetism.
It stands to reason that if paranormal occurrences are energy-based, the
arrival on the scene of man-made energy-based devices may put a kink in the
environment needed for the apparition to appear. Even a battery-operated
digital camera, voice recorder, or flashlight may put out enough energy to
disrupt the natural energy of an area, to the chagrin of ghost hunters
everywhere. This might explain why as a whole we are remarkably
unsuccessful at capturing verifiable ghosts on film.
Theory #4:
Ghosts are actual beings living in one or more parallel dimensions.
The concept of a parallel universe is a fairly complex one. To put it
simply, this theory suggests that there are one or more (perhaps an infinite
number) of complete universes co-existing with us on a plane we are
generally not aware of. Picture a lot of soap bubbles all floating around
in a room. Each soap bubble contains an entire unique universe, and though
there are hundreds of bubbles in the air, each is independent of all the
others. Occasionally, two bubbles will collide and stick together, creating
a passageway between the two universes.
Any type of spectral appearance, sight, sound, or anomaly can fit into the
theory of parallel dimensions. Thus, when we see an apparition, especially
one seemingly from another time and place, it could be that we getting a
rare glimpse into another dimension or reality and we are seeing events
develop in that plane of existence.
Interestingly, it is also theorized that each of us even have parallel
selves living on different planes in different stages of development and
that we may be aware of them at times on a subconscious level. Obviously,
this theory is just that - a theory - but it is a particularly tantalizing
one, and hopefully we we progress technologically, more scientific light
will be shed on this topic. For more information in this same vein, please
see
Other Dimensions.
Theory #5:
Ghosts exist only as figments of our imaginations.
This theory can be made to apply to every kind of paranormal
manifestation there is, and in some cases, it is probably at least in part
correct. Medical studies have proven that when certain parts of the brain
are stimulated, various perceptions are disturbed, such as visual, auditory,
and tactile functions. Various external stimuli such as very low frequency
sound waves and high fields of electricity can cause hallucinatory
experiences that for the subject are indistinguishable from reality.
Indeed, schizophrenics often relate seeing, hearing, and even talking to
very real entities that nobody else can see or hear, but medical science
thus far has not found the cause for this. Are they really seeing things
that nobody else can see or hear? The consensus seems to be no - it is "all
in their heads" due to an unknown short circuit in the make-up of their
brains, but nobody really knows for sure. Further study in this particular
type of mental disorder may eventually shed light on some areas of the
paranormal. However, there are still a lot of questions left unanswered by
this theory, such as when more than one person sees the same phenomena.
Skeptics use the term "mass hysteria" for situations like this, but nobody
has offered an explanation for the core catalyst causing many brains to
suddenly go haywire.
Obviously, this theory needs a lot of work, but it will probably be among
the first to be proven or disproved by science. Time will tell....
After Sundown
Paranormal. All rights reserved.