Ghosts and Spirits are perhaps one of the most common of all unexplained phenomena, second only to sightings of UFO's. The concept of the dead rising from their graves to haunt the living world has lived on in folk lore and tales for generations, and it seems now only to obvious that such stories are in no way false. Out of all the unexplained phenomena mentioned in the encyclopedia, the existence of ghosts is perhaps the most plausible of them all. But what is the theory behind these quite disturbing, and sometimes troublesome apparitions ?
There is a considerable amount of evidence available to help try and prove the existence of ghosts, including numerous witness accounts and a few other scraps of media, including photographs, tape recordings and even videos.
In most cases, such as in the photograph above, the ghost resembles the body of it's previous life. In this case, the spirit is thought to be the ghost of a woman who lived in Raynim Hall in Norfolk - often referred to as being "The Brown Lady". The ghost had been seen as long ago as 1835, and has become something of a legend among ghost hunters the world over. Whether these reports are to be believed is as always - uncertain, however the photograph clearly shows a transparent apparition "floating" up the stairs in the hallway. As to whether or not it is simply the remnants of somebody's creative camerawork or not remains to be seen. This remains to date - the most famous ghost photograph in existence.
In many cases, a ghost appears at a location after a recent death in that area - such as a ghostly pilot appearing a few days after his plane crashes in the nearby fields. Sometimes a ghost appears to those of whom the individuals past life had no significance - sometimes causing severe fright and trauma to those who witness the apparition. In other cases, the ghost will return not visibly, but will engage in activities concerning manipulating objects and throwing things around - books off shelves etc. This type of ghost is known as a poltergeist. In some more drastic cases, a ghost will take possession of a human being and speak through the person's body, which is an extremely distressing ordeal for anyone to go through. However, even though ghosts may appear in numerous locations, the one sure way to dispose of them for good is through the services of an exorcist. Through religious means, an exorcist can "exercise" the spirit and bring peace to it's soul, rendering it harmless to the living world and allowing it to return to the "afterlife".
To date, spirits
and ghosts have remained one of the most chilling aspects of the unexplained.
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For veteran ghost hunters all over the world, Borley Rectory has remained one of the single most compelling buildings on the face of the planet. Known for it's reputation of being the most haunted house in England, Borley Rectory has been investigated by hundreds of researchers and experts over the years, all of which have had the chance to experience the unique atmosphere that such an abode seems to possess.
The Rectory was built back in 1863 by Reverend Henry Hill, but was later destroyed by a large fire in February 1939. The house was located in Essex near the river Stour, and it was reported that a great deal of poltergeist and related phenomena did occur there even before anyone had moved in. In 1930, Reverend Lionel Foyster and his family moved there, but left only 5 years later after a staggering 2000 accounts of unexplained paranormal phenomena. From strange writing which appeared on a regular basis on the walls, to unusual apparitions and figures appearing to be moving through the gardens at night - the family were constantly plagued by these disturbing supernatural occurrences and events.
The last
people to live in Borley Rectory were Captain William Gregson and his family,
and after the fire it was believed that the ghosts had actually moved across
the road to the nearby Borley Church. One thing is for sure however, and that
is the extent to which these hauntings had occurred after and during the time
when the Rectory had been occupied. Many dozens of mysterious photographs were
taken throughout the years, some of them showing what appeared to be strange
dark figures and apparitions in the grounds around the Rectory. Were these pictures
nothing more than exaggerated remnants of someone's overactive imagination,
or perhaps something of a much more spiritual nature ? It is doubtful that we
will ever really know for sure, and Borley Rectory will probably remain one
of the most incredible locations in the annals of the paranormal to be ever
investigated.
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For those of you who would like to see a bit more evidence to suggest the existence of ghosts and supernatural entities, look no further. This photograph is the most convincing and most tangible one of it's kind ever taken.
Seen here floating effortlessly up a flight of stairs, The "Brown Lady" as it is referred to, has been sighted by dozens of people in Raynim Hall (Norfolk) as long ago as 1835. The ghost is allegedly that of a woman who used to live in Raynim hall before she died. So what do the experts think of the picture ? Well as far as they can tell, there is nothing whatsoever to suggest that it is a fake - and if it is a fake, it is one extremely good one !! The image of the ghost is perfectly imposed upon the background stairs - suggesting that the entity that is shown, is as you see it. Perhaps however, we can take a look slightly closer and have a better look....
For a start, the entity appears to be making it's own source of light, just as many reported ghosts do. But could that not be created by somebody in a costume carrying a torch ? Yes, but certainly not in this case - the ghost itself is completely transparent !! It would be impossible to create this type of picture with a man in a suit.
So how could
the transparency be created ? A double exposure would do it, although rigorous
testing and examination of the photograph has revealed that no double exposures
are present. The ghost even appears to have quite a detailed face, and the shape
of the body is quite distinct. It is almost impossible to say that someone has
"created" this photograph, especially back in 1835 !! Whether this is really
a picture of a real life ghost or not is almost ultimately impossible to prove.
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Ghosts and spirits have a tendency to "exist" in several different forms and variations, many of which are simply "visually" present, and not in any way "physically" present. However, there are times when a spirit can actually physically interact with it's surroundings, a type of specter known to most as being a Poltergeist. A poltergeist has the disturbing ability to manipulate objects and move things around at will. The presence of such a spirit becomes obvious when books start flying off shelves, paintings throwing themselves off walls etc.
In some extreme cases, a poltergeist can move entire units of furniture in front of the people who own them, a spectacle of extreme terror and apprehension. Although it would appear that most ghosts do have the affiliation which enables them to move objects, they rarely actually utilize this ability. A correct definition for a poltergeist is maybe not so much "moves objects" but "chooses to move objects."
As usual
with ghost and spirit cases, a poltergeist can be usually put to rest through
the services of an exorcist, in an attempt to cleanse the location of the specter
in question. Even so, poltergeists still remain one of the most dangerous and
chilling types of spirits to invade the realms beyond the boundaries of death.
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The most disturbing of all paranormal encounters and in every country of the world, is that concerning the possession of a living human body by a deceased spirit. Although somewhat rare in comparison to ghost and poltergeist encounters, possession can indeed be the most frightening experience the mind can perceive, both for the possessed, and for those who must accompany the victim during the experience.
There is no known reason as to why spirits "possess" people, apart from the purpose of communication with the outside world. Often possessions include the victim producing strange sounds in unfamiliar voices as the deceased attempt to make themselves heard in the living world. Other features of possession concern the victim actually "levitating" into the air, regurgitating strange objects such as leaves and feathers, and even the ability to walk through walls. Although the person in question has no real control over his/her body during this time, they are perfectly conscious and are perceiving everything that is going on around them.
The only known
cure to this condition that seems to have any significant effect, is Exorcism.
This involves a priest or other holy man visiting the victim and "exercising"
the spirit, often with the use of religious artifacts such as holy water. Only
once the spirit has been allowed to return to rest is the victim released.
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usher 2000
