The 3 Most Common Types Of Supernatural Entities

If you ask a few paranormal enthusiasts to help you understand what a typical haunting is like, the chances are you may get a variety of different answers. The fact is that none of the claims of paranormal activity have been able to be duplicated in a scientific lab, and therefore there are no scientific answers to questions about the supernatural world. However, there are thousands of accounts of ghosts or ghostly occurrences’ in every major culture around the world. So, in this article I thought I would go over the most commonly recognized types of haunting in modern culture.

Most experts in the paranormal field agree that there are 3-5 basic types of haunting. To keep it simple, I have decided to stick with three major categories. I have also done this because I personally feel like every kind of manifestation can fit comfortably within one of these three groups. The first group that I will share with you is one that you are probably already familiar with. In fact, someone who had never been taught differently might just assume that all ghosts fit in this category.

This traditional view of ghosts is also known as an intelligent haunting. Ghosts that are spirits of human beings that have passed away are often able to communicate cohesively (on some level) with their living counterparts. They can respond to questions by either speaking back directly or using their energy to move an object or touch someone. In some cases, intelligent spirits can even manipulate the digital equipment of investigators by shutting off cameras and draining newly charged batteries. While these types of spirits have the strength and capability of harming a living person, they are usually benign and may even be coming back into this realm just to visit a missed loved one or because they have not yet realized that they have died. Sometimes people choose to put shadow figures in a separate category all together, but I actually believe that they are a type of intelligent haunting, as they often react to the presence of the people around them.

The second category of ghosts is made up of what is called a residual, or unintelligent, type haunting. In the case of these entities, they simply go about performing the same ritual that they always will whether any living person sees them or not. The residual haunting is somewhat like an imprint on the home or possibly a specific possession of the ghost. Then, like a film set on repeat, they continuously relive a few short moments over and over again. No one really understands why this happens. However, it does seem to be related to an increased amount of emotion, either good or bad, that is experienced at the location of the haunt.

Similar to shadow people, some individuals categorize poltergeist in a separate group of their own. However, since a poltergeist is merely energy that is connected to an individual (often an adolescent), I prefer to categorize them in the second group as an unintelligent haunting. They may be known as the “noisy” ghosts as their name suggests, however poltergeists don’t actually communicate in any kind of intellectual way. They simply stack up or throw items around the house while banging wildly on the doors and walls, and likely scaring the heck out of anyone who happens to witness it.

Finally, the third category of haunting is a group known to many as elementals, demonics, or otherwise non-human entities. Elementals are derived from ancient mythology and are connected with each of the four elements of life here; earth, wind, fire, and water. Although these cases are very rare, they can still happen and can very quickly become dangerous. Many people believe for this type of haunting to happen that the demon must first be invited into the home. It’s sometimes done so by the use of a Oijua board or other forms of spirit communication. In the worst cases, an individual might become possessed or inhabited by the demon spirit. In these super unusual and controversial conditions, a priest or demonologist is sometimes brought in to exercise the invading force. Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that the demon will give up the possessed person and sadly there have been many recorded cases of deaths that have happened as a result of the exorcism process gone wrong.

The intelligent, the residual, and the inhuman haunts are the three most commonly addressed types of ghosts in modern culture. In my follow up article later this week I will share with you some of the more uncommon manifestations of spirits throughout the world’s cultures. Although, personally, I remain skeptical of many of these claims, I cannot deny the sheer number of references to ghosts and spirits throughout the history of the world. I suppose, if it is true that I cannot prove the existence of ghosts, well then it is just as true that I cannot disprove their existence, either.

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