what makes a ghost?

What I mean to say is, how does one become a ghost?
I suppose that in order to answer this we need to know what a ghost is. So, what is a ghost? Is it a soul that hasn't found peace? A sudden death? A peice of left over energy that runs on a cycle? Are they even human? They might be demons or just a completely different form of energy that feeds on emotions. Perhaps they just copy us sometimes. Or have a favourite impression that they keep doing for hundreds of years. Or perhaps they get their form and power from feeding of people's emotions.
What would it be like to be a ghost? would you be aware of your existence as we are now? Would you spend eternity in the same place or is time a completely different concept for ghosts/spirits?
Anybody got any descent theories?

I've actually heard quite a few different theories as to what "ghosts" actually are. One of those interesting theories was in fact a restless spirit. One that has come back from the dead because he or she did not accomplish in his flesh life what he/she hoped to accomplish.

Another plausible reason as to why "ghosts" exist is that they don't know that they have yet died. I suppose if you are a ghost, you wouldn't know you are a ghost. Most of the time you can't even see ghosts. Ghosts require an enormous amount of kinetic (stored) energy to make themselves visible to humans.

The problem is that "ghosts" live on a different plain then us. They live on a plain about three feet off of the floor from what we live, hence the seemingly floating they do. They also live on a 4D plain instead of a 3D plain. Some find this hard to believe just because we, as humans, have never experienced ACTUAL 4D. Sure there are the rides at Universal Studios that have a "kind" of 4D, but nothing to the actual thing. Even then, if you don't live in Florida, how many people actually go to Universal Studios??

The whole concept is quite hard, and I wish I felt like going to find links to backup my theories, which aren't quite theories at all. If you do some searching, you'll find that at least some of what I say is correct. Others are (and I admit) complete theories. The fact of the matter is, humans, no matter how much researchin we do, will never fully understand the extent of why ghosts exist or why they make themselve visible to us, or if they even mean to do it. Maybe it's an accident?? As humans do, if we store too much energy we have to use it. Maybe it's the same for the ghostly beings.

[edit on 1-7-2006 by poiSoN466]

[edit on 1-7-2006 by poiSoN466]

Originally posted by poiSoN466
I've actually heard quite a few different theories as to what "ghosts" actually are. One of those interesting theories was in fact a restless spirit. One that has come back from the dead because he or she did not accomplish in his flesh life what he/she hoped to accomplish.

I think this is one of the most common. It's not bad but it feels cheesy and gives the ghost/spirit less credit than it deserves.

Another plausible reason as to why "ghosts" exist is that they don't know that they have yet died. I suppose if you are a ghost, you wouldn't know you are a ghost. Most of the time you can't even see ghosts. Ghosts require an enormous amount of kinetic (stored) energy to make themselves visible to humans.

Yeah...this sort of stuff was dealt with in "sixth sense", "the others" and probably countless other films and stories recently. It seems one of the most popular theories. Again I think that Ghosts/spirits operating on a plain that's different to ours as an easy way out. The thing that I've always had trouble explaining is why, when they are seen, they seem to do the same thing over and over. Like walking across a hallway or something.
When you was talking about the fourth dimension were you referring to time? I assume you was. That's quite interesting. I've always wondered what time might be like for a ghost. That is, of course dependant on what a ghost actually is.
hmmmm....

[edit on 1-7-2006 by surrender_dorothy]

Actually yes, I was referring to time. Time has no value to the dead whatsoever. It's a completely irrelevant subject.

The thing that I've always had trouble explaining is why, when they are seen, they seem to do the same thing over and over. Like walking across a hallway or something

The answer to that is the reason they are always doing the same thing is because they can't control when they are seen. As I said before it requires a large amount of Kinetic Energy and when the Energy has sufficiently grown to the amount needed, it forcefully goes off, hence we see them doing anything a normal human being would...why? Possibly because they don't realize they are dead.

The answer to that is the reason they are always doing the same thing is because they can't control when they are seen. As I said before it requires a large amount of Kinetic Energy and when the Energy has sufficiently grown to the amount needed, it forcefully goes off, hence we see them doing anything a normal human being would...why? Possibly because they don't realize they are dead.

Right...so when you talk about this kinetic energy who/what is generating it? where did it come from?
Also when a Ghost becomes visible to humans, do we become visible to them? Are ghost ever able to see us?

There is no "who or what" generating the energy. Energy is a substantial matter capable of generating itself. Kinetic is just "stored" energy. It's still capable of accumulating by itself, when it accumulates till it can't accumulate anymore, it is forcefully excreted. The same applies to the reason why humans can't sleep for long periods of time. The energy builds up so much that we can't stay dormant anymore.

As far as them being able to see us, I'm not quite sure, but I'm sure they can. There have been plenty of written instances where ghosts have some sort of interaction with humans. "Amityville" for instance, whether true or not, is a classic example. Any other haunted houses are another good example. They clearly see us invading what they call "their domain" in a house, and do whatever it takes to get us out. This is the only reason I believe they can see and interact with us.

It's interesting stuff your saying dude...but there's too many loose ends I feel. Are you saying that the build of of kinetic energy comes from inactivity on the part of the ghost?
All energy comes from somewhere. It's like einstein said. "energy never ceases to exist it just changes form." it was something like that anyway.

That's what I'm trying to prove to you, the energy is never gone, it just changes form. Therefor an accumulation of energy is a change in form. It's just like us sleeping. We are doing absolutely nothing at all, yet accumulating energy, that's the reason we wake up. Look at people in a coma. They don't wake up because the energy they are accumulating are being used for the reason they are in a coma. The reason we can't sleep 48 hours straight is because of that energetic reason. The same applies for ghosts. Being a ghost is a suspended state. It's like sleeping all the time, the energy has to be dispursed somehow.

I have wild dreams when I sleep and you can't tell me that they don't take up energy. Truth is I'm always pretty tired when I wake up. Sometimes these dreams seem to last for days even weeks...but i've only slept for a few hours. What's that about?

Good question, and I can't explain that. I have done no research into that stuff. All I know is the scientific reason why we can only see ghosts sometimes, is the illuminate light they give off as part of giving off energy.

oh my god...your answer was scientific
I had no idea......I thought you were just making it up.
Feng Shui is also scientific you know!

I'm sorry, but I'm taking that as an apparent insult, and it flew way over my head.

eheheh...don't take it as an insult dude...take it as a culture cash or a conflict of beliefs. Either way, I liked your theories on Ghosties.

I don't like theories, it takes the para out of the paranormal. I think "Paranormal Studies' is a misnomer.

the BEST explanation I ever heard

was, it is a spirit trapped between worlds.

I'd say that was pretty accurate.

Originally posted by toasted
the BEST explanation I ever heard

was, it is a spirit trapped between worlds.

I'd say that was pretty accurate.

The best explanation I ever heard is that they were vampire victims(zombies) from a parallel universe wandering about between realms. You see, if you become the victim of a vampire but are not fully drained. Your place in existence is called into question but the fact that you remain gives your an uncanny ability to wander throughout the cosmic breadloaf, while always remaining in the same episode of time. Unfortunately, your vampire master can call you too him at any time and you have not will to disobey.

this is just my opinion...
I think ghosts are indeed people who have passed away and remain in this world. Either they feel like they can't leave for a certain reason or because they do not know how to enter the next world. I think there are other phenomena that we interact with that we assume are ghosts but are something else. I think some of them may be from other dimensions or are demonic but I wouldn't call them ghosts.

I read some where that there are different kinds of ghosts. There are ghosts who can interact with the living, and there are ghosts who aren't exactly ghosts, but rather a replayed moment in time (civil war ghosts for example). I think thats why we see certain ghosts redoing the same things over and over because we are actually just seeing a captured moment in time.

I will have to research where I read that so I can let you know. But those are just a few theories that I have read and tend to agree with.

I'd have to agree that there are many kinds of ghosts..

My father and grandfather have told the tale of my great-grandfather.. he followed them after they'd just moved, shortly after he'd just died. Everyone was sitting down to dinner, and the power tools in the basement (which were his, and the workshop was set up exactly as my great-grandfather had it) suddenly turned on. As soon as my grandpa would go downstairs, they'd turn off.. The dog would bark from the kitchen, heckles raised..
It kept happening night after night, so finally my grandpa stood at the top of the stairs and said, "It's fine that you want to use your tools. They're yours -- you're more than welcome to them. But, please.. not during dinner. You're scaring the hell out of the kids." He never came back after that.

Personally, I think if the person did the same thing over and over (battlefield charge, for example), then their energy might get stuck in replay. If they don't want to leave, then they don't. Whether or not they're seen.. that's up for debate.

WHY they appear.. if nothing else, to let us know that we're not alone.. *cue X-Files music*

I've even heard of ghost trains.. where in a certain place where trains used to pass, where the tracks have been long ripped up or dis-used, the train can still be heard passing.. Seems like the earth sucked in the energy at that particular time and.. for whatever reason, replays it.

Do you think that OOBE's are akin to ghosts? If someone stepped out of their body, would the energy be the same? Would/could they appear as a ghost?

I don't believe in OOBE's

Why hasn't anybody agreed with my vampire/zombie theory? It's the most plausable theory in this thread. Jeez.