~~ Most people think that late at night is the best time to have a paranormal experience. But the truth is that ghost encounters happen as often during daylight hours as they do at night.
~~ There are a few popular theories as to why ghosts haunt places. Ghosts may haunt a place because they don’t realize they are dead! Or they may have unfinished business.
~~ There are different types of haunting:
*The most common is a residual haunting. It is when the same ghostly activity occurs over and over again with nothing changing. It is considered to be a playback or recording of a past event, not a “live” haunting. The ghost may have a strong connection to the place or a particular room or object.
*Another type is intelligent haunting. This is a “live” encounter. The ghost is actively trying to communicate with the living by moving objects, showing itself, opening a door, or getting close enough so that cold spots from its presence may be felt.
*A less common type is a portal haunting. This is where high activity areas are documented and a vortex or ghostly shape or mist (not an orb) is caught on camera.
*The rarest and scariest type is an inhuman haunting. This is when the entity was never human. A ghost is the spirit of a dead person but inhuman haunting have nothing to do with ghosts. It is an evil entity that tends to make its presence known by pushing, shoving, hitting, or punching. This is different from a poltergeist, which is a naughty ghost.
~~ Three in 10 people have awakened sensing a ghostly presence in their room (AP Poll) and 17% say they have communicated with the dead (Rhine Research Center).
~~ Orbs are the worst indicators of paranormal activity because most of the time what people think are “orbs” in their photos are actually light reflections or dust particles. (Orbs are balls of light that appear in different sizes and intensity and are believed by many to indicate paranormal activity).
Terrance Zepke has a B.A. in Journalism and a Masters degree in Mass Communications from USC and has studied parapsychology at the renowned Rhine Research Center. She is the author of numerous ghost books and travel references. She is in demand as a speaker and has appeared on The Learning Channel, History Channel, and Travel Channel.
A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to The Most Haunted Places in America (Safari Publishing, 4/12) discusses fifteen of the most haunted places in America and includes detailed histories, photographs, fun facts, and visitor information, including accessibility, tips, addresses, and websites. For more about the book, visit http://terrancezepke.com/ghost-books/a-ghost-hunters-guide-to-the-most-haunted-places-in-america/