A ghost is the spirit or soul of a dead person that retains a connection to the world of the living. They’re typically described as barely visible wispy versions of their living selves. Besides ghosts, they’re also referred to as phantoms, apparitions, specters, spooks, spirits, shades, and numerous other names. Regardless of what you call them, these translucent entities pre-date writing. While we can’t be sure, they’re likely linked to religious practices related to ancestor worship.
Why Are Ghosts Here?
In most cultures, the spirits manifest near something related to their lives. Examples include people, homes, work, or in some cases the place where they died. A common theme in Western culture is that ghosts are trapped in the world of the living by some tragedy in their life. Solving their murder or clearing their reputations often frees them to continue their journey to the afterlife. Other spirits are bound to the living world as a punishment for actions during their lives. These nasty characters haunt the living. Yet another category of spirits are those temporarily summoned through religious or magical arts. Think seances.
Are Ghosts Real?
To date, there’s no scientific evidence that ghosts exist. That said, nearly 1 in 5 Americans claim to have seen a ghost. While scientists can’t explain all the sightings, they attribute many to health-related hallucinations. They cite dementia and sleeping disorders as well as certain medications and psychoactive chemicals as the leading causes. Despite the lack of formal scientific acceptance roughly a third of Americans believe that ghosts exist. There are similar numbers of believers in Canada and the UK.
Ghost Hunting
While mainstream science and academia scoff at them, paranormal investigators employ sophisticated equipment to study ghosts and spiritual events. Tools of the trade include Electromagnetic Field (EMF) meters, thermal cameras, and night vision goggles. The last two books of my Misaligned series (Penny Preston and the Silver Scepter and Penny Preston and the King’s Blade) feature a pair of paranormal investigators.
That brings us to our featured map courtesy of cardschat.com.
What About Me?
I’ve been one in a school play and dressed up as one for Halloween, but I’ve never seen a ghost. One of my relatives claims to have seen one, but she was sick with a very high fever at the time. I don’t think she reported it to anyone. So, I’d say I’m a strong skeptic. What about you, do you believe in ghosts?
As always thanks for reading.
Armen
Note to pay the bills: My Warders series is filled with intrigue, magic, and adventure in a high fantasy world that’s appropriate for readers of all ages. The fifth book even features a ghost (actually a Banshee) as an important character. Why not take a look? You can find a summary of the six book series here or find links to purchase books here.
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Yup! I believe. I’ll tell you about it sometime, but not here.
Enjoyed seeing you Saturday. Hope you made out well.