Sorry, I couldn't resist. I fell victim to the catchy tune the moment I typed the words with my fingertips. Anyways, today I want to talk about a subject that I find rather interesting, ghosts. What are they? Why do some people see them? Are they even real in the first place? Depending how far you've dabbled into the world of the paranormal and different theories to support these happenings; you may not be aware that there are a plethora of hypotheses as to why things go bump in the night. With that let's get started shall we?
Theory #1- Ghosts=dead people.
I think it's safe to say that this is the most commonly held belief on ghosts by those who accept their existence. Many people claim to have encounters with friends or relatives who have passed on to life's... or rather, death's next great adventure. Maybe this is one way we cope after loosing a loved one. However, many people have run-ins with apparitions of people they've never known at all. Some people subscribe to the idea presented by the Law of Conservation of Energy. This law states that energy is neither created or destroyed but rather, changing in form throughout time. Perhaps this theory helps explain that shadow figure you saw lurking around your home the other night.
Theory #2- The stone tape theory.
I find the stone tape theory to be absolutely fascinating. The theory was introduced in the 1970s, stating that inanimate materials can absorb energy form the living. The stone tape theory was presented as a possible explanation for paranormal events and it sure seems plausible. Following this line of thought, the energy that is stored is then later released resulting in something you might see in an episode of the X-Files. The energy that is released can be anything from laughter, footsteps, or even a full body manifestation. Even more interesting is the thought that the energy might be composed by natural electric and magnetic fields. I really like this theory and I think it definitely makes sense in some instances. Maybe this explains why certain locations are haunted, but I'm not too sure it can explain more severe encounters with a spirit.
This is the part where I ask you to open your mind to the realm of possibility. Many modern scientists and physicists acknowledge the idea of a multiverse. There are even projects such as CERN that are working to prove it's existence. The thought is this, we aren't the only universe out there, in fact there are many universes aside from the one we know and love. Each universe exists side-by-side, parallel to our own. Imagine a universe where Kylo Ren never killed Han Solo. Or perhaps a universe where Oprah is your neighbor and you're filthy rich. The dimensions have different realities and different timelines from our own. So, what does this have to do with ghosts? Well, I'm happy you asked. Could it be that what we believe to be ghosts are actually inter-dimensional beings crossing over from their home to ours? Many who believe in the paranormal speak of a veil between our world and the spirit world, maybe these beings know how to cross it and we haven't quite figured things out yet.
Theory #4- Good "ghosts" and bad "ghosts".
Some people think that ghosts are not spirits of the dead at all but rather, malevolent spirits or demons trying to trick you. After doing some further research it appears that some religions have almost a good ghost, bad ghost kind of mentality. For example, those of the Jewish faith believe in dybbuks and ibburs. A dybbuk is the ghost of a dead person who will possess someone with a malevolent purpose. Whereas an ibbur is the ghost of a deceased person who will act as a living person's spiritual guide. The ibbur will then leave the person when they are no longer needed.
I think they might be on to something... While it seems that some entities most certainly have nothing but malicious intent there also appear to be entities that bring comfort and hope to those who encounter them.
Theory #5- There's no such thing as ghosts.
Not my personal favorite, but it would be rude to exclude it from this list. There is always the possibility that ghosts don't exist. Maybe they're creations from our own subconscious, perhaps they are illusions after a night of lack-luster sleep or maybe they are part of a collective consciousness shared across humanity.
What's my take on all of this?
Honestly, I'm kind of leaning towards a little bit of everything (minus theory #5). From my own personal experiences and what I've learned from others it seems that no encounter is the same. So why should we put them all into a box saying there's an explanation for them all? I think each paranormal event is extremely situational. There are so many different variables that can go into one experience.
All that I know is, I want to believe!
