What is a ghost?

It's with a heavy heart and deep sadness that I must inform you that DorothyNewman2 passed away on November 18, 2015 at the age of 40. She was one of my most loyal friends on this site and we collaborated on many things. She had a brilliant intellect and her writing is superb. She was especially interested in the paranormal. I just know that she's flying with the angels now. I will dearly miss her. She gave me permission to use her writings and I do it as an honor to her life and her brilliance.

I know that I've discussed the idea of spirits before, but ghosts are a different type of spirit, or you could say that they're lost souls that can haunt.

As I've said before, a spirit exists on a plane of existence higher than our natural plane. They do not exist in time like we do, which suggests that they will never cease. However, we must change our definition of a spirit when we talk about ghosts.

In order for a ghost to interact or make itself known to us it must have some energy influence on our natural world. DorothyNewman2 suggested to me one such possible idea for how this might happen. It involves the concept of Orbs. Spirit or angel orbs constitute a paranormal phenomenon and appear as translucent lights or bright spots in photographs.

Here is what Dorothy had to say about this:

"Orbs are highly debated phenomena in paranormal circles. Some people believe they are visible evidence of spirits. However, many researchers doubt whether orbs are ghosts at all. No one knows whether spirits are able to consciously harness this energy or not, but orbs are often witnessed at locations where some form of paranormal activity has reportedly taken place.

Orbs are very common in paranormal photography and video. In digital photography, orbs are a known artifact of the process. The Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP) explains this in their case study on Orb Zone Theory. In the case of digital and film photography where colored orbs appear, this is often associated with the subtle coloring of the camera's lens. Other items can cause orbs to appear, including reflective surfaces, dust, rain, water spots, and bugs. In video, infrared lights can reflect off of these same objects and give them a lighted orb-like appearance. For these reasons, many paranormal investigators do not consider orbs as paranormal evidence because there are too many natural world explanations for them.

However, it is a possibility that some orbs could be paranormal in nature. This may be particularly true of orbs seen with the naked eye, especially those that appear to have their own light source and unusual patterns of travel.

There are many theories about what different orb colors mean, with many colors potentially meaning a variety of things. Interpretation of the colors varies according to different beliefs. However, in most cases, people interpreting orb colors and assigning a meaning do so based on spiritual beliefs about the meaning of various colors. It is important to note that these are spiritual theories only and have no basis in scientific fact.

One theory of orbs with different colors is that spirits are manifesting in the best way they can. In these cases, the colors may have no meaning at all, or a spirit could be trying to communicate something with the color. Use your own feelings as a barometer to see what you believe the orb and its color means to you. If you're still looking for guidance, some common interpretations follow.

A clear orb may be a sign that an entity is trying to communicate with you. The spirit may be trying to let the living know that some kind of significant event happened in that location and that the spirit wants help to move on.
Spiritually, White and silver orbs are associated spirituality (and are connected with) a higher plane (a high positive energy). Some investigators believe orbs that are either white or silver in appearance are an indication that a spirit is trapped on this plane. It may also be a sign that the spirit is there to offer protection to the people in the area.

Spiritually, many feel that black and brown colours are associated with a low negative energy. Some people interpret this as evil, although it isn't necessarily the case. When black or brown orbs appear, some investigators interpret them as a sign the area may be unsafe and negative in nature.

From a spiritual perspective, red and orange colours are associated with safety and security, as well as a sense of belonging. While these warm colours are often associated with strong emotions such as anger and passion, this may not be the case when it comes two ghost orbs. Some paranormal investigators believe that a red or orange orb is a sign that an entity has assumed the role of a protector. This could be some who was charged in life to keep watch or be a caretaker.

In spiritual practice, green is associated with the heart. It's also associated with nature. Green orbs are sometimes thought to be an indication of the presence of a human spirit, as opposed to a spirit that was never on Earth in human form. Likewise, green orbs may represent oneness with nature.
Blue is spiritually associated with psychic nurturing and truth. It's a calming colour, and many people associate it with spiritual guidance. Some people feel blue orbs are a sign of a calming presence and nurturing, while others feel they indicate the presence of a spirit guide in that location.

While the jury is still out on whether or not ghost orbs are truly caused by paranormal activity or if they are merely dust flecks left on a camera's lens, remember that most info about ghost orb colours comes from theory rather than science. While many researchers have compiled data on ghost orbs and their various colours, no one can be exactly certain about their meaning. Remember to keep this in mind as you work with the paranormal."

I certainly concur with Dorothy's last paragraph. I would suggest that this concept suggests that ghosts have the ability to interact with energy in our natural plane. In my mind this is the only possible way that they could cause things to move or light orbs to form.

Thanks for reading.