Paranormal: (circa 1920) 1. of or pertaining to the claimed occurrence of an event or perception without scientific explanation 2. 'beyond the normal' 3. the supernatural

“The terms we use for what is considered supernatural are woefully inadequate. Beyond such terms as ghost, specter, poltergeist, angel, devil, or spirit, might there not be something more our purposeful blindness has prevented us from understanding?"

  Louis L'Amour, The Haunted Mesa 

The Paranormal

Paranormal is a general term that can be defined as anything that it outside the realm of what can be understood using science's science’s current ability to explain or measure.  When people think about the paranormal, the subject of ghosts usually comes to mind right away, but this term is also commonly used to describe different kinds of phenomena, including ghosts/spirits of the dead, ESP, cryptozoology and UFOs, amongst other subjects and even the so-called “paranormal experts” cannot agree on a satisfactory definition.  However, for the sake of this discussion we will confine ourselves to those phenomena falling under the general topic of “spirit activity”. 

As with the term “paranormal” the term “spirit”, in general usage has a wide ranging application. The term “ghost” and “spirit” are often used interchangeably, but the difference might best be described by the simple axiom, “while all ghosts are spirits; not all spirits are ghosts”. 

In theory, ghosts originate from this realm of existence and are a manifestation of the soul or memory of someone once living that has died and these are the entities spirit mediums communicate with in the practice of Spiritualism.  (see: “Mediumship”)

By contrast, other types of “spirits or entities” may originate from a totally different realm of existence. These spirits seem to behave in a similar manner to the way we understand atomic particles to behave, moving backwards and forwards in time and space, fluctuating between energy and matter. The theories of quantum physics suggest the possibility of alternative universes and multiple dimensions from which these spirits could be originating and these spirits may embody a “quantum mind” wherein what we would describe as forms of energy may have a conscious awareness and be able to interact with those of different dimensions or even different universes. These spirits cannot be directly observed anymore than atomic particles can be directly observed, but can only be discerned by the footprints they leave, like the glow of fairies in the garden.  (see: “Nature Spirits”) 

"Paranormal events are just edges of the infinite we 'happen' to encounter."



 Paranormal spirit activity can be divided into 3 categories:

1) Possessions, where an individual is inhabited or “possessed” by an invading spirit or entity. (see: “Psychic Protection” ) 

2) Hauntings, where a place (or environment) is inhabited or “haunted” by apparitions of spirits or ghosts.  In general, most paranormal experts would agree that hauntings are spirit activities tied to a particular location, but that is pretty much where the agreement ends. Other explanations of hauntings often reflect differing ideas arising out of traditional religious and cultural backgrounds. This presents a significant problem in the field of paranormal investigation as the investigators prior religious or cultural assumptions about the nature of ghosts may unconsciously hinder a truly unbiased scientific approach to discovering the true nature of the phenomena being studied.

3) Gremlins, where a mechanical apparatus or electronic device, such as a television, computer or smartphone  is inhabited or “possessed” by an apparent invading spirit or entity. These entities hijack the operation of the device, in a manner similar to a human computer hacker, scrambling messages, altering information, deleting files and disrupting operations, seemingly for the purpose of causing havoc and manifesting negative energy in and around the human operators. 

 

Part 1  "The Paranormal"

Part 2  "Hauntings"

Part 3  "Gremlins"