A ghost is a manifestation of the spirit or soul of a person. Alternative theories expand on that idea and include belief in the ghosts of deceased animals. Sometimes the term "ghost" is used synonymously with any spirit or demon, however in popular usage the term typically refers to a deceased person's spirit.
The belief in ghosts as souls of the ...departed is closely tied to the concept of animism, an ancient belief which attributed souls to everything in nature. As the 19th-century anthropologist James Frazer explained in his classic work, The Golden Bough, souls were seen as the creature within that animated the body. Although the human soul was sometimes symbolically or literally depicted in ancient cultures as a bird or other animal, it was widely held that the soul was an exact reproduction of the body in every feature, even down to clothing the person wore. This is depicted in artwork from various ancient cultures, including such works as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, which shows deceased people in the afterlife appearing much as they did before death, including the style of dress.
A widespread belief concerning ghosts is that they are composed of a misty, airy, or subtle material. Anthropologists speculate that this may also stem from early beliefs that ghosts were the person within the person, most noticeable in ancient cultures as a person's breath, which upon exhaling in colder climates appears visibly as a white mist. This belief may have also fostered the metaphorical meaning of "breath" in certain languages, such as the Latin spiritus and the Greek pneuma, which by analogy became extended to mean the soul. In the Bible, God is depicted as animating Adam with a breath.
Numerous theories have been proposed by scientists to provide normal explanations for ghost sightings. Although the evidence for ghosts is largely anecdotal, the belief in ghosts throughout history has remained widespread and persistent.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Ghost Hunting 101
Friday, April 22, 2011
Shadow People
Shadow people are paranormal shadow-like creatures that people usually see in their peripheral vision. Reports suggest that they do not appear to reflect light and that their appearance is essentially a silhouette in black.
They usually have no discernible features beyond the general outline of their form. However, shadow people have been reported to have shifted into a more human form and in these instances it is said that sometimes features such as glowing eyes and sometimes mouths or nostrils are discernible.
Reports of shadow people, sometimes called shadow folk, shadow men, or shadow beings, have many similarities with ghost sightings, so many similarities that many paranormal experts consider ghost and shadow people one and the same.
However, other experts disagree and claim that shadow people are a separate phenomenon from ghosts for a variety of reasons.
First, they claim that the movement of shadow people is said to be quick and jerky, sometimes with stops, starts, and changes of direction, not at all like the smooth floating motion often associated with ghost sighting. This is apparently the primary reason they are usually seen out of the corner of the eye.
Second, some people report being able to discern that the shadow people are wearing a fedora style hat like a 1930’s-era gangster or a cloak.
Third, shadow people usually appear quite solid, unlike the ephemeral appearance of ghosts.
Fourth, there are very few reports of positive interactions with shadow people.
Unlike the friendly ghost sightings that are fairly common, encounters with shadow folk are almost always frightening or shocking. In fact, even the experts that view shadow men as a subset of ghosts, usually concede that shadow men are a malignant beings.
The supporters of shadow people as a separate and unique phenomenon offer all sorts of speculation about the nature of shadow people using ideas from religion, parapsychology, metaphysics, and the occult.
One of the many ideas is that shadow people represent a Thought-form, ghost or demon that was created by extraordinary pain, suffering, and trauma in a dying persons life. Others suggest that shadow folk have been purposefully summoned from another realm through black magic or other occult practices.
The fact that they do not seem to reflect light has led some to theorize that they are from an alternate universe with different laws of physics or perhaps they are caught in a trap between two physical universes. David Icke has proposed that shadow people are related to Grey aliens, or to the Reptilian humanoids.
The theories about the nature of shadow people are almost endless, but they are certainly quarry that should only be sought out by experienced, well equipped ghost hunting teams – never by solo hunters.
They usually have no discernible features beyond the general outline of their form. However, shadow people have been reported to have shifted into a more human form and in these instances it is said that sometimes features such as glowing eyes and sometimes mouths or nostrils are discernible.
Reports of shadow people, sometimes called shadow folk, shadow men, or shadow beings, have many similarities with ghost sightings, so many similarities that many paranormal experts consider ghost and shadow people one and the same.
However, other experts disagree and claim that shadow people are a separate phenomenon from ghosts for a variety of reasons.
First, they claim that the movement of shadow people is said to be quick and jerky, sometimes with stops, starts, and changes of direction, not at all like the smooth floating motion often associated with ghost sighting. This is apparently the primary reason they are usually seen out of the corner of the eye.
Second, some people report being able to discern that the shadow people are wearing a fedora style hat like a 1930’s-era gangster or a cloak.
Third, shadow people usually appear quite solid, unlike the ephemeral appearance of ghosts.
Fourth, there are very few reports of positive interactions with shadow people.
Unlike the friendly ghost sightings that are fairly common, encounters with shadow folk are almost always frightening or shocking. In fact, even the experts that view shadow men as a subset of ghosts, usually concede that shadow men are a malignant beings.
The supporters of shadow people as a separate and unique phenomenon offer all sorts of speculation about the nature of shadow people using ideas from religion, parapsychology, metaphysics, and the occult.
One of the many ideas is that shadow people represent a Thought-form, ghost or demon that was created by extraordinary pain, suffering, and trauma in a dying persons life. Others suggest that shadow folk have been purposefully summoned from another realm through black magic or other occult practices.
The fact that they do not seem to reflect light has led some to theorize that they are from an alternate universe with different laws of physics or perhaps they are caught in a trap between two physical universes. David Icke has proposed that shadow people are related to Grey aliens, or to the Reptilian humanoids.
The theories about the nature of shadow people are almost endless, but they are certainly quarry that should only be sought out by experienced, well equipped ghost hunting teams – never by solo hunters.
Distinction Between The Human Spirit And Soul
According to historian Oswald Spengler, a distinction between Spirit and Soul has been made by the West and earlier civilisations which influenced its development. The human spirit can be seen as the heavenly component of human's non material makeup - the part that is impersonal or universal. Whereas souls are the personal element unique to each individual. As Spengler writes in The decline of the west:
| “ | ... more important than all this is the opposition of Spirit and Soul (Hebrew: ruach and nephesh, Persian: ahu and urvan, Mandasan: monuhmed and gyan, Greek: pneuma and psyche) which first comes out in the basic feeling of the prophetic religions, then pervades the whole of Apocalyptic, and finally forms and guides the world-contemplations of the awakened Culture - as seen with Philo, Paul and Plotinus, Gnostics and Mandeans, Augustine and the Avesta, Islam and the Kabbalah. Ruach means originally "wind" and nephesh "breath." The nephesh is always in one way or another related to the bodily and earthly, to the below, the evil, the darkness. Its effort is the "upward." The ruach belongs to the divine, to the above, to the light. Its effects in man when it descends are the heroism of a Samson, the holy wrath of an Elijah, the enlightenment of the judge (e.g. Solomon passing judgment) and all kinds of divination and ecstasy. It is poured out. As in Isaiah xi, x, the Messiah becomes the incarnation of the ruach | ” |
In Christianity, the Holy Bibleidentifies humanity's three basic elements: body, soul and spirit. Christians sometimes emphasise that the human spirit is not really unique to humanity, rather it is something that humans participate in, for it is the same as the Holy spirit, which the Christian becomes united with once they accept Christ as their saviour.In Islam, Muslims are viewed as having their own spirits, but one that in a sense is one with God's spirit. For Spengler, the perception of unity this idea led to was important for the emergence of the "consensus" that maintained harmony in Islamic culture, epecially during the golden age of Islam.
Ghost Hunting vs. Paraphyscology
“Parapsychology, and before it Psychical Research, has been researching psychic phenomena such as ESP, ghosts and hauntings for more than a century now both in the lab and in the field”, says parapsychologist and author Loyd Auerbach. “It would be safe to say that, unlike other fields of research, about 95% or more of the ghost hunters in this country know too little or even nothing of the rich history of parapsychological research and those that pioneered such research for over 130 years.”
Besides a lack of knowledge of the very field that has studied psychic (psi) phenomena for so long, “Most people out there, who are being invited into people's homes, have no actual academic training or true knowledge of psychology, sociology or anthropology, three valuable social sciences not to be ignored if you are studying psychic phenomena. After all,” adds parapsychologist Dr. Barry E. Taff, “Psi is of the mind.”
Adds Loyd Auerbach, “Thanks to the TV shows, it seems that the large number of ghost hunters seem to think they can ignore human experience in favour of technology not designed to detect anything ‘paranormal,’ when it is that experience that labelled the location/event ‘haunted’ to begin with. Without witness experience, you have nothing – even a rumour starts with a person.”
The IPC wants the general public and media outlets to know that they are available to help anyone who is experiencing paranormal phenomena, or has questions about Parapsychology, that they will help you get in touch with educated and knowledgeable psi field researchers and parapsychologists as opposed to teams who have little more training than watching cable television. They also hope to reach out to serious minded people who are interested in being more than ghost hunters, the psi field researchers and parapsychologists of the future.
Another separate platform for dissemination of information is an expanding portal to scientific Parapsychology and to reputable resources on psi phenomena, education in Parapsychology, and field investigation. “We hope that it will be of great use to people having paranormal experiences, to people interested in investigating the paranormal, and to the media and general public at large,” says Loyd Auerbach.
In addition, the Psi Portal (also known as the Parapsychology Portal) is intended to help support people truly curious about real scientific research and investigation methods and what has gone before in the field. As “amateur astronomers” gain respect with their discoveries and contributions to the field of astronomy, the amateur psi researcher has the potential to contribute greatly to the social science that is parapsychology.
The typical Amateur Psi Field Researcher is one who does not depend on the field of parapsychology as a primary source of income or support, and does not have advanced academic training in the subject and/or a related degree. Many amateurs are beginners, while others have a high degree of experience in parapsychological research and often assist and work alongside professional parapsychologists. The amateur psi field researcher, with the proper support and training, can be considered a great deal more qualified than the weekend “ghost hunter” so popular today.
The majority of scientific contributions by amateur psi field researchers will be in the area of data collection. In particular, this applies where large numbers of amateur psi field researchers with small teams can add to the knowledge base in ways that the relatively small number of parapsychologists in the country cannot when it comes to collecting data from the ever increasing world population.
From the Parapsychology Portal, members of the public, media and international press, will be able to find parapsychologists as well as professionally recommended psi field researchers. Working along parapsychologists, these amateur field researchers are the most qualified to study cases of psi phenomena which includes consciousness survival (ghosts, hauntings, etc), psychic activity (ESP, poltergeists, etc) and Near Death Experiences (NDE).
“We hope that in the future, when the press and public need information or research done in anything psi related they will contact us through the Parapsychology Portal website,” says parapsychologist and author Dr. Andrew Nichols. “It is the difference between science and pseudo science, as true amateurs and expert's present information and resources that go way beyond the mostly-TV-trained enthusiasts and hobbyists. The Psi-Portal site provides a single stop on the web that brings together major parapsychological organizations for the 1st time.”
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Environmental Causes
CARBON MONOXIDE:
Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and impossible to taste or smell. At lower levels of exposure, CO can cause flu-like symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. At higher levels, CO exposure can be fatal, which provides another excellent reason to check for its presence when these symptoms are presented.
Sources of carbon monoxide include unvented space heaters, blocked or leaking chimneys, leaking furnaces, gas water heaters, and automobiles in attached garages. An area exposed to CO must be evacuated and ventilated; further exposure can only be prevented by eliminating the source of the gas.
MOLD:
Molds of various types can be found anywhere there is sufficient moisture and can grow on almost an unlimited number of materials. Molds are allergens and can cause allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Allergic reaction can vary for each individual but can include nasal congestion, irritated eyes or skin, or wheezing. Fewer people have severe reactions, but it is possible for mold exposure to cause fever and shortness of breath, as well.
Molds can grow on nearly any surface where there is enough moisture. The only way, then to stop the growth of mold is to eliminate the moisture. In some locations that investigators find themselves - ruins and buildings near natural water sources - the source of moisture cannot be removed; investigators should be mindful of this and consult a physician or allergist if exposure is a serious concern.
Depending on the severity and type(s) of mold, abatement can be done by the property owner or through a professional service.
OZONE:
Ozone is a colorless gas that many have heard of in a positive light - the ozone layer that protects us from dangerous solar radiation. Indeed, ozone is beneficial in the atmosphere, but it does not belong in occupied areas, where it poses a danger.
Exposure to ozone can cause numerous respiratory ailments, including throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. It will also aggravate the symptoms of those with asthma and other respiratory problems. Longer-term exposure can cause permanent damage, including decreases in lung function and weakened defense against respiratory infection.
Some households and businesses have begun using ozone generators to clear and freshen the indoor air. Ozone generators, which intentionally produce the gas ozone, are often sold as air cleaners despite the dangers of ozone exposure. Additionally, copy machines produce ozone which in a confined space can also cause problems.
The simplest way to avoid ozone exposure is to remove the devices that generate it. Air cleaners that produce ozone - even those that claim to produce within acceptable ranges - should not be used in the home. Enclosure in a small room, especially, concentrates the gas and may increase the effects.
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF):
During any remodel replace old knob-and-tube wiring (a source of high fields) with modern wiring. If a new electrical transformer is installed near a building it may create high magnetic fields inside the building. Alternatively, a buffer space provided around the source transformer would reduce fields projected into the building. High EMF due to wiring errors can be corrected relatively easily as it is usually due to a connection error in a sub panel or junction box. Existing high EMF-producing facilities, such as electrical panels, established wiring routes, and load locations are often difficult to change. It may, however, be possible to rearrange usage of spaces adjacent to areas with high EMF.
Magnetic field readings of .01 - 1 mG are well within the range of commonly seen levels. Fields in the range of 1-10 mG are the subject of much medical controversy. If EMF is to be minimized, these levels indicate the presence of field sources which should be identified. Exposures of 10-100 mG are uncommon, and readings of more than 100 mG are rare. In order to verify these readings in occupied spaces the measurements should be repeated at different times of the day and week. Since EMF is directly proportionate to current flow the measured magnetic field levels originating from power lines will be markedly different for different seasons and times of the day. Because of the operating air conditioners a hot summer afternoon will usually have higher field levels than an autumn morning. A thorough field survey will reveal if these levels are present throughout the building or campus or if they are localized in specific areas.
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (ES) is a physiological disorder characterized by symptoms directly brought on by exposure to electromagnetic fields. It produces neurological and allergic-type symptoms. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, headache, eye irritation, dizziness, nausea, skin rash, facial swelling, weakness, fatigue, pain in joints and/or muscles, buzzing/ringing in ears, skin numbness, abdominal pressure and pain, breathing difficulty, and irregular heartbeat. It can also cause what is referred to as a "Fear Cage", which is a high EMF reading in a small room or confined space. It can often cause feelings of uneasiness or paranoia as well as anxiety. Which can also cause a feeling ov being watched, that can lead to the misunderstanding that there is a presence or paranormal being present.
It is important to note that, because of the bodies dependence on electrical impulses to function, EMF sources can interfere with the bodies natural functions. Usually the EMFs are only strong enough to affect the mind, the EMFs send electrical impulses throughout the brain, effecting the brains most simple functions. They can cause nausea, paranoia, and hallucinations, as well as fear. This is why it is important to use EMF detectors when trying to "debunk" a claim of paranormal activity. If a high EMF is found the investigator can usually conclude that it is the source of the problem, things to look for without an EMF detector are large amounts of electronic devices in relatively small areas, also large amounts of conduits or high power lines running through areas close to the activity. If any of the symptoms described above occur, take a break and get out of the area for a while and the symptoms should go away.
Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and impossible to taste or smell. At lower levels of exposure, CO can cause flu-like symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. At higher levels, CO exposure can be fatal, which provides another excellent reason to check for its presence when these symptoms are presented.
Sources of carbon monoxide include unvented space heaters, blocked or leaking chimneys, leaking furnaces, gas water heaters, and automobiles in attached garages. An area exposed to CO must be evacuated and ventilated; further exposure can only be prevented by eliminating the source of the gas.
MOLD:
Molds of various types can be found anywhere there is sufficient moisture and can grow on almost an unlimited number of materials. Molds are allergens and can cause allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Allergic reaction can vary for each individual but can include nasal congestion, irritated eyes or skin, or wheezing. Fewer people have severe reactions, but it is possible for mold exposure to cause fever and shortness of breath, as well.
Molds can grow on nearly any surface where there is enough moisture. The only way, then to stop the growth of mold is to eliminate the moisture. In some locations that investigators find themselves - ruins and buildings near natural water sources - the source of moisture cannot be removed; investigators should be mindful of this and consult a physician or allergist if exposure is a serious concern.
Depending on the severity and type(s) of mold, abatement can be done by the property owner or through a professional service.
OZONE:
Ozone is a colorless gas that many have heard of in a positive light - the ozone layer that protects us from dangerous solar radiation. Indeed, ozone is beneficial in the atmosphere, but it does not belong in occupied areas, where it poses a danger.
Exposure to ozone can cause numerous respiratory ailments, including throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. It will also aggravate the symptoms of those with asthma and other respiratory problems. Longer-term exposure can cause permanent damage, including decreases in lung function and weakened defense against respiratory infection.
Some households and businesses have begun using ozone generators to clear and freshen the indoor air. Ozone generators, which intentionally produce the gas ozone, are often sold as air cleaners despite the dangers of ozone exposure. Additionally, copy machines produce ozone which in a confined space can also cause problems.
The simplest way to avoid ozone exposure is to remove the devices that generate it. Air cleaners that produce ozone - even those that claim to produce within acceptable ranges - should not be used in the home. Enclosure in a small room, especially, concentrates the gas and may increase the effects.
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF):
During any remodel replace old knob-and-tube wiring (a source of high fields) with modern wiring. If a new electrical transformer is installed near a building it may create high magnetic fields inside the building. Alternatively, a buffer space provided around the source transformer would reduce fields projected into the building. High EMF due to wiring errors can be corrected relatively easily as it is usually due to a connection error in a sub panel or junction box. Existing high EMF-producing facilities, such as electrical panels, established wiring routes, and load locations are often difficult to change. It may, however, be possible to rearrange usage of spaces adjacent to areas with high EMF.
Magnetic field readings of .01 - 1 mG are well within the range of commonly seen levels. Fields in the range of 1-10 mG are the subject of much medical controversy. If EMF is to be minimized, these levels indicate the presence of field sources which should be identified. Exposures of 10-100 mG are uncommon, and readings of more than 100 mG are rare. In order to verify these readings in occupied spaces the measurements should be repeated at different times of the day and week. Since EMF is directly proportionate to current flow the measured magnetic field levels originating from power lines will be markedly different for different seasons and times of the day. Because of the operating air conditioners a hot summer afternoon will usually have higher field levels than an autumn morning. A thorough field survey will reveal if these levels are present throughout the building or campus or if they are localized in specific areas.
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (ES) is a physiological disorder characterized by symptoms directly brought on by exposure to electromagnetic fields. It produces neurological and allergic-type symptoms. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, headache, eye irritation, dizziness, nausea, skin rash, facial swelling, weakness, fatigue, pain in joints and/or muscles, buzzing/ringing in ears, skin numbness, abdominal pressure and pain, breathing difficulty, and irregular heartbeat. It can also cause what is referred to as a "Fear Cage", which is a high EMF reading in a small room or confined space. It can often cause feelings of uneasiness or paranoia as well as anxiety. Which can also cause a feeling ov being watched, that can lead to the misunderstanding that there is a presence or paranormal being present.
It is important to note that, because of the bodies dependence on electrical impulses to function, EMF sources can interfere with the bodies natural functions. Usually the EMFs are only strong enough to affect the mind, the EMFs send electrical impulses throughout the brain, effecting the brains most simple functions. They can cause nausea, paranoia, and hallucinations, as well as fear. This is why it is important to use EMF detectors when trying to "debunk" a claim of paranormal activity. If a high EMF is found the investigator can usually conclude that it is the source of the problem, things to look for without an EMF detector are large amounts of electronic devices in relatively small areas, also large amounts of conduits or high power lines running through areas close to the activity. If any of the symptoms described above occur, take a break and get out of the area for a while and the symptoms should go away.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Animals and Ghosts
EVEN PEOPLE WHO believe in an afterlife and the possibility of ghosts are often skeptical when it comes to the idea of spirit animals. They don't have souls or spirits, goes the argument, and therefore cannot have a life in the next world. But cats, dogs, birds and other animals are made up of the same energy that humans are, and it may be as possible that this energy can survive death, just as it can for people. Anyone who is close to their pets will testify to the psychic connection they share. Psychic energy and spiritual energy may all be a part of the same phenomenon, and so animals might have as much of a connection to the unseen world as we do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)