Types of hauntings
by Beth Trimble
There are various classifications of hauntings. A residence or location may have more than one type of activity, which many people mistakenly lump together as a single type of paranormal activity. Below are listed various types of paranormal activity. A location may have all, some or NONE of these, depending upon if the activity is deemed natural, or paranormal.
Residual Haunting:
This is a non-conscious entity or occurrence that happens over and over in a location or residence. The repeated actions are always the same (a figure moving up or down a staircase, sounds or voices that are always the same and say or do the same things, physical slamming of doors, movement of objects - always in a predictable manner due to time or date.) This type of haunting is often compared to a 'skip' in a record or a movie. It seems to be replaying some type of event, and the accompanying apparitions or voices do not respond to human contact. The most dramatic examples of residual hauntings seem to replay traumatic events (sinking of a boat, burning of a building, a lover's quarrel, a violent happening, loss of a loved one) and they seem to fade over time. Many times though, they are events that do not seem to correlate to any particular trauma. There may simply be a knock at the door every night at a certain time, or a murmuring of voices every evening. Things to look for when deciding if the activity is a residual event:
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Occurs at the same time(s) throughout the day, month or year. (Predictable.)
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No interaction or acknowledgement from entities, no response to questions
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Little or no variation in theme
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Visually seen or audibly heard (although at times a residual haunting may be occurring and the events are only captured via EVP or Infra-Red technology)
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Occurs *at* the spot of a traumatic or anchoring event/location (no choice of where they are, where they occur, and often validated by research of events at that residence or location)
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Not often 'felt' by human observers, but rather seen or even heard. Not dependent upon energy fluctuations.
Conscious Entity:
This type of haunting occurs from a spirit or entity that has either gotten 'stuck' between worlds, or which has deliberately chosen to stay in a location. These entities *may* be located at a spot where they lived or died, or may not be. They may seem to be free roaming, and can move at will, or alternatively, seem to be tied to that area. They interact in some manner, be it playful, mischievous, instructive, warning, pleading, malevolent or destructive. These are the entities that are most often 'felt' by the observers, either by a coldness, feelings of being watched, feelings of sadness, joy, peacefulness or anxiety or other noticed 'signal' that lets the observers know they are there. They sometimes respond intelligently to questions asked, or can move objects at will. These types of hauntings may sometimes have a purpose, such as warning, protection or relaying some information. Other times they may be asking for help or may seem lost or confused. At times there may be a purpose that only the entity may observe, such as moving to a location they always desired to live in, going back to a place they visited and loved or wanted to be, or for some purpose such as gaining power for themselves. There are various classifications of conscious entities, depending upon their reason for being.
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