Spirits and Ghosts, What are the difference?

Since ghosts are departed spirits, then is there a difference between ghosts and spirits? Give me your opinions.

I have studied paranormal stuff all my life due to run ins with them.Frankly I call them both all the time.. I think if someone was to argue the stance on either; it would be that living beings have a spirit and ghosts would be those that have gone beyond this dimension or time in matter if you will. But I really think that when it comes down to it the persons beliefs and or language would play a role.

(sorry if my spelling is off im actually tired for once :lol

I concur. I call them both/either. I suppose it depends more as to how they manifest rather than there being a specific difference. They are both disembodied energies. I don't think they will be offended by either descriptor.

I've been told that I send out a light that serves as a beacon for them. This is why they seem to flock to me. It's nice, really. I help them "go home" as soon as they feel ready for it. Sometimes it's immediate, sometimes it takes a bit longer. We've made people so afraid of dying that we don't understand that death is freedom. There's absolutely nothing to fear. It really is a shame.

I believe that all of us are spirits.. ghosts included.. BUT i think that only ghosts are ghosts. I use that term for those that are " stuck" and havent crossed over yet.

I think a loved one that HAS crossed over can visit us in spirit.. but i wouldnt say they were a ghost.

Have i made any sense?

as i have understood it:

ghosts are the energetic remains of a once corpreal being who has not yet advanced/evolved beyond this plane of existance, and are subsequantly bound to it. ghosts are born in quite a variety of ways: a violent death, a task lay unfinished at the time of death, an intense attachment to a person, place or thing. some simply do not know they are dead, and have not yet 'moved on'. etc.

spirits are a more general term that refers to any non-corpreal being. they could have been the evolved energetic presence of a once human who has lived "a good life" but not moved beyond this world (anscestor/gaurdian spirits). they may never have been human (nature / elemental spirits). they could be beings of another dimension (dragons from the astral planes, etc.) on and on.


it's like the square/rectangle thing... all squares are rectangles, but NOT all rectangles are squares.

all ghosts are spirits, but not all spirits are ghosts. the difference, once again, is the "attachment" to the earthly plane.

or at least that is what i have been taught.

reply to post by SugarJ


aye. you phrase it much more consicely then my ramblings.

reply to post by mythos

THATS what i meant. TY for saying it so much better than i could have !!

Edited to add: LMAO i liked yours much better .. our timing was impeccable !!


[edit on 10/28/08 by SugarJ]

Difference between spirits and ghosts. The spirit knows its dead and probably isn't earthbound. The ghost on the other hand doesn't know its dead and is probably earthbound.

Ah, very interesting points-of-view.But, I concur with Nemox 42. Not all ghosts do not know there dead. In fact, my dog, who has passed away, still resides outside of her grave, mourning at her death. And some spirits, condemned to the Underworld, or Hell in my religion, just believe that God has just placed them into an everlasting torture for there sins, not thinking or even considering death. So, say what you say, believe what you believe, and express you're feelings. Just because people may contradict you, there are still people who believe you.


Post Script: I am not trying to contradict ANYONE! I do not want to judge anyone, I'm just doing what this site was made for: Expressing my feelings on different subjects.