Classifications of Hauntings - The Who's Who of The Paranormal

In the paranormal field you will deal with many different forms of hauntings and many different claims of hauntings. It is important in the interest of appearing professional that you are knowledgeable in the different types of hauntings. Firstly lets define what a haunting is.

A haunting is the act of a person or thing that haunts; visitation.

Now that definition is a bit vague so to further refine our definition lets look at the definition of the term Haunt.

Haunt: To inhabit, visit, or appear to in the form of a ghost or other supernatural being.

Now we could clearly see that in the definitions listed above a "Haunting" is a ghost or supernatural being that visits, appears or inhabits a location. These of course are the paranormal definitions of a haunting and a haunt, as we all know a song can haunt you as well as a thought or even an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend so remember that this definition is only for the paranormal field.

With the definition of a haunting fresh in our minds lets take a look at some of the theoretical causes of an alleged haunting. There are many "causes" to hauntings believed by many investigators worldwide. While these theories seem to have basis and plausibility the truth is that it is simply unknown what truly causes a haunting. It is important to remember that the following few statements are theories only.

One theory is, and is the most widely believed, that the "ghost" has unfinished business with this world and that it has anchored the spirit to this semi conscious life. This theory while commendable in its assumptions cannot be proved. This is why it is still considered theory. Though this is probably the more accurate of the theories.

Theory Two:

The spirit of a dearly departed will return to earth as a guardian spirit sent by God. A truly comforting theory to say the least but it doesn't answer the fact that these spirits sometimes will play pranks or interact with you or even cry for help themselves.

The third and final theory that will be covered today is:

These are demons and angels that pose as our loved ones to corrupt us or inspire us. Interesting to say the least but yet not completely perfect. Perhaps all three may combine into an ultimate answer or maybe it is just left to the unknown. The answer to What causes a Haunting may never be truly answered.

What we do know is that natural causes explain over eighty percent of all claims.

• Old Paint
• Mold
• High EMF
• Mind Altering Narcotics
• Gas Leaks

• Mental Illness
• Matrixing

These are all natural causes that could explain our sudden claims of ghosts. Though this list is not exhaustive and again this is theoretically some natural causes. However these things listed above have been clinically proved to be harmful to your health.

Lets look at the different classifications of hauntings now. There are several different types of classifications of hauntings. These classifications help identify the extent of the activity and even could determine the validity of a claim. It is important to remember that these are the guidelines that paranormal investigators use while interviewing clients to determine the type of activity that could be anticipated during an investigation. These classifications are the most commonly used by paranormal investigators and are but one way of thinking about hauntings. However these classifications are proving to be pretty definitive when corresponding to collected evidence.

Intelligent Haunting:

An intelligent haunting is a haunting in which the afflicting spirit can and will interact and often communicate with the client and or investigators. This type of haunting occurs sometimes, this is not the most common form of haunting but will be encountered more than most other forms.

Signs of an intelligent haunting:

• Responsive and interactive activity
• Objects being moved or influenced
• Random acts of paranormal activity

Residual Haunting:

This type of haunting is by far the most common form of haunting. However the definition of a residual haunting is noticeably different than an intelligent class haunting.

In this classification there isn't any form of interaction at all. It is believed to be a series of past events played over and over in an endless loop. These events can have a set day and time known as an " Anniversary Imprint". They may be just as random as the previous form but cant respond or interact. It is believed that the spirit might also have no idea that it is dead and a ghost.

Signs of a Residual Haunting:

• Activity only noticed on certain days or times
• Spirit is unable to communicate or unresponsive/unable to interact

Now to look at the less common classifications of hauntings. These forms though may occur and may be encountered it is important to realize that less than one percent of all actual hauntings consist of the next two classes. These are the classifications that Hollywood likes to prey upon and distort and make popular. The next two classifications we will look at are:

• Poltergeist
• Non-Human

Poltergeist:

German for noisy ghost; an entity or energy that displays sensational interaction with the physical environment, and manifests only when a specific individual or individuals are present

Or a ghost that manifests itself by noises, trappings or creating disorder. This particular haunting can be "life disrupting". This means that it will cause such a disturbance that normal everyday life will become impossible. It is necessary to remember that this form of haunting is extremely rare.

Stated before this haunting will more than often be associated with a specific individual and in most cases this individual is a CHILD!

Lets look at some theoretical causes of a poltergeist:

Theoretical Cause

A poltergeist is initiated by pent-up stress on a subconscious level, often explained as uncontrolled psycho kinetic activity or 'Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis' (RSPK). This RSPK can theoretically be channeled and focused by high deposits of Lime stone and quartz. This theory supports all skeptics everywhere, it suggests that pent up stress on your mind may cause delirium resulting in hallucinations that are precieved as a less than welcome Ghost.

This is probably the more accurate theory and is a valid psychoanalysis of a alleged poltergeist haunting.

NOTE: Jumping to this conclusion prematurely can bring question to ones professionalism.

A Second Theory:

A spirit of a human or doppelganger that is exhibiting malicious and violent tendencies. This spirit is often believed to be a person who once lived at the location that is unhappy with the current inhabitants or died at the location in a horrible and or violent way. Interestingly enough this theory has some basis to it. Though it can possibly be plausible this theory in itself is flawed. A spirit that has had a violent death more often than not will cry out for help rather than lash out in a violent way.

With this said it can be concluded that a violent or malicious "Poltergeist" could be classified as our next designation "Non-Human".

Characteristics of a Poltergeist:

• Movement and hurling around of inanimate, often extremely heavy, objects.
• The opening and closing of doors and windows by no visible means.
• Unexplained noises such as voices, moans, screams, explosions, crashes, raps, thumps, scratches and knocks on floors, doors and walls, heavy footsteps, bed-shaking.
• The breaking of household objects such as crockery.
• The destruction of garments, the throwing of stones, rocks and dirt, bad smells, mysterious fires.
• the appearance of pools of water on floors, the malfunctioning of electrical equipment, telephone ringing, the unexplained appearance of objects ('apports'), apparitions and even physical assault.

The next and final classification of haunting we will look at is "Non-Human". This classification is normally known as Demonic... For purposes of fairness and length this term has combined all Non-Human spirits together. Angels, Demons and Deities are covered briefly in this section. It is noted that this section is concurrent to peoples personal religious beliefs, it should also be noted that as a paranormal investigator one should be impartial and open minded to the clients beliefs even if they don't reflect their own. This section will be briefly touched on as there is really no way that any of the following could be proved scientifically.

Non-Human classification can be broken down into three separate categories

• Angels
• Demons
• Deities

Angels are probably not a class we would consider a haunting and are definitely the most welcome of the spiritual visitors. Think of your guardian angel if you believe in such a being.

Deities or gods are again not a class we would consider a haunting and again are probably welcome spirits. Ancient Greeks were often visited by what they believed were their "Gods", such as the many infidelities of Zeus.

These classes however do need characteristics to be mentioned as the next class can impersonate these classes to obtain what they desire.

Demons are the final classification of haunting that we may encounter in the "Non-Human" category. Even if you do not believe in some form of religion most people believe in some form of evil creatures that plague our world. Though these creatures are extremely rare we may encounter demonic hauntings. These hauntings are never easy to deal with. These are malicious and violent and pose just as much danger to the client as they do us.

Characteristics of Demonic hauntings:

• Violent and harmful spiritual attacks.
• Spirits doppelganging as other human spirits to gain the trust of the living.
• Sudden changes in the attitude of the residents and or children.
• Markings and scratches on the body of residents.

It is important to note that these hauntings may require the help of religious leaders and other trained demonologists. Do not provoke or invoke demons and certainly never invite.

Finally lets look at some ways you may be able determine the classification of a haunting for yourself or for your own investigations, as these articles are to foremost educate others in the paranormal field as well as help those who need clarification to better understand what they may be experiencing

Here are some of the methods used by paranormal investigation groups worldwide:

• Ask the client questions

Based on the client's answers we could determine the characteristics and classify the alleged haunting.

• Use personal experiences at the location (If Any)

Personal experiences can allude to the type of haunting we are dealing with and help determine "hot spots" to investigate.

• Use the evidence collected at a location.

Some hauntings aren't clear or can be multiple types at once and could be confusing in this case we use the collected evidence to determine the type and or classification.

• Research the characteristics/ claims prior to the investigation.

This runs hand in hand with asking the client questions.

All of these methods are common to Paranormal Investigators and again are not the "only" method of determination. As you become more experienced your own instincts will determine the proper method for you to use. Only time and patience will decide your niche within this field. Understanding takes a while and while you may be experiencing these phenomena it is important to realize that though many of what was mentioned in this article is widely believed and used by the pros, these are still only theories and as such are not one hundred percent conclusive. Only further research may shed a little more light on the unknown world of the paranormal.

In Retrospect-Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Robert Langdon in his first adventure is awakened by an urgent telephone call from Maximilian Kohler the head of CERN. One of his top physicists Leonardo Vetra was murdered and he needed for the Harvard symbologist to make the trip to Geneva immediately. A fax with a picture of the dead scientist showing his chest branded with the words Illuminati jolted Robert into action. Arriving at a designated hangar located on the East side of Boston Harbor, he is amazed that the private jet a high speed civil transport or HSCT Boeing X-33 has the same look and the same speed as a space shuttle lands in Switzerland sixty-four minutes after he buckled his seatbelt.

After meeting the dead man's daughter Vittoria adopted from a catholic orphanage at the age of eight when Leonardo was a young priest. The action continues in Rome where Robert and Vittoria search for clues locating the whereabouts of four kidnapped cardinals on the eve of conclave to elect the new Papal head of the Catholic Church and also finding where a canister of anti-matter that is buried somewhere within the caverns of Vatican City before it explodes.

The novel is a page turner and the reader is thrust into both the worlds of the Scientist and the strong-arm grip of repression that forces mankind to take one-step forward and two-steps back in the eternal search for the quest of the soul and the same ultimate need for the excitement of scientific discovery.

The novel's ending has a personal connotation when the passing papal is buried with his own secret known only to his faithful assistant and the newly elected Officiate. If fiction is truly an illusion of reality then the author has done a worthy job of presenting it.

Dan Brown and his Novel Angels & Demons

Author Dan Brown was born on June 22, 1964 and raised in Exeter, New
Hampshire. He came from a very wealthy family. His father, Richard G. Brown was an outstanding mathematics professor. Mrs. Constance Brown was a professional musician. Dan also grew up with two other siblings. Dan Brown married Blythe who accompanies him on his frequent research trips for his novels. He is now currently living in New England as a full time writer along with his wife. Other novels by Dan Brown included Digital Fortress, The Da Vinci Code, and Deception Point.

The history of the novel Angels & Demons came about in the 1600's when the Illuminati vowed vengeance against the Vatican. The reason why they wanted revenge was that the Vatican had kicked them out of their city for not being dedicated Christians.

The Illuminati went to hide in Bavaria where they cultivated with other anti-Christ groups such as Jews and Muslims. This gang of anti-Christians led on to new Illuminati, a more dark, powerful, and deeply satanic cult. Promising that one day they would come back and take revenge on the Catholic Church.

Angels Are Real, If Demons Are Real

Angels and demons can be a fascinating subject. For some angels, and what they represent, can be even be intoxicating. While demons for others are such an obsession that they claim these beings exist behind every corner and every bush, just lurking for suspecting prey.

Do angels and demons really exist?

There are anecdotal accounts of angels appearing to groups of people and different individuals have also claimed to have had visions of angels on a frequent basis.

Demons, on the other hand, are not something of which there appear to be group accounts, except for a few exorcisms. There are many individual claims of personal experiences regarding demons, and often it is a person claiming to be plagued by the creatures.

The interesting thing is that demons are not really something educated people seem to give a second thought. Angels seem to get more consideration, which may be because many people seem to like the idea of having a guardian angel.

There is a view among varying groups that for every positive there is a negative and for every angel there is a corresponding demon. There are even comics that have a little red being blasting negative thoughts and evil ideas into a comic character's ear, while in the other ear, an angelic looking being will be trying to counteract the devil with thoughts of goodness.

If you are one of those people who have conflicting thoughts from time to time, even to such an extent that it seems like there are two voices in your head, then you, too, might be inclined to think that there is a little devil on the left and an angel on the right.

Among people who do not like accepting responsibility for their antisocial behavior there is no such thing about conflicting thoughts. When challenged for a reason to explain vandalism or theft or assault or murder, the answer is often,"The devil made me do it." The idea that there might have been an angel to whom they could have listened, instead, is not considered.

The irony is you do not hear people saying, "An angel made me do it", when it comes to receiving praise for some noteworthy action, like rescuing someone who is in danger of drowning or falling from a tree or about to be blown to bits from a bomb. This is because the person becomes an angel.

The one thing that is rather amazing is Jesus Christ spoke a lot about demons. Here is a religious figure who spoke not only of angels but also of demons. It appears the Bible is where most people get their ideas of angels and demons.

Do these beings really exist? Like everything else, seeing is believing. And even then, if you thought you saw a demon or an angel, without tangible evidence, you might have difficulty believing what you thought you saw.

If I were to tell you that I have seen angels on numerous occasions and have also seen demons, you might say I am mad, or I suffer from delusions, or must hallucinate.

But why not ask me what they look like instead. This way you will have a description by which to identify one, if you saw one too. Otherwise you might see one and not recognize the tell-tale sign.

Light House Poster Angels and Demons

A light house is a beacon of hope often surrounded by dangerous seas and menacing obstacles. To a sailor, a it signals a safe path to follow home. To the ancient builders of the original light house, they were a symbol of prestige and importance. The ancient Light House of Alexandria which was built in 3 BC, and towered near 400 feet, was one of the last remaining seven wonders of the world. Modern posters of these guardians are often surrounded by images of sand and beach that fondly remind us of vacations and summers spent around the water. With such a gamut of symbologies and remembering, it is no wonder that light house posters are such coveted pieces of art.

Lighting The way Home

When shopping for a light house poster, there are several things to consider. The first and most obvious, is finding one that strikes a chord with you. There are light house posters surrounded by serene and tranquil sea front settings, as well as shome showing showing treacherous shoals being pummeled by crashing waves, while lightning flashes, and clouds threaten. Not only the serene images have a rightful place on our art deprived walls, but the striking images have a place there as well. It all depends on the kind of emotions the room or surroundings are attempting to elicit from the visitor. If your passion runs to boating, or are an avid sailor type then perhaps the serene beach light house scene is best for you. Every regular sea going boater has probably had their share of tumultuous water adventures. If your attempt is to create a more sombre feel in your art space, then perhaps the more adventurous light house posters would be more advisable.

Light House Symbology

Before placing a piece of art on your walls, it may behoove you to know a little more about what the imagery means. There are some slightly more obscure representations that have been relegated to light houses over the years. They are sometimes used in religious writings as representing a safe path to salvation. Not only used in mainstream spiritual beliefs, but also used to some degree by those who follow the occult teachings. Beacons of truth for darkness or light I suppose. Conspiracy theorists believed that the red stripe surrounding the lighthouse was actually the snake of Lucifer. Some would also like to believe that they are symbols of male fertility. Not too hard to imagine where someone came up the that allusion. Some things you may want to consider though when hanging light house posters around the house. Personally, I like the image of sail boats gently chasing breezes, children building sand castles, and waves lapping the shore. You however can see whatever your imagination dreams.