Published 01/07/2024 by Joanne Jones

Guide to the Different Types of Ghosts

For thousands of years, humans have been haunted by ghosts. They are believed to be the souls of dead people who continue to live after death and continue to visit the world of people in different forms.

While some people believe that ghosts are something created by us and have no existence, ghost hunters insist that ghosts are real.

What Are the Different Types of Ghosts and Spirits?

For many, the ghost is the hint that something exists, some reality or truth at the edge of our being, proof that there is more to us than what our senses can reveal.

There are many varieties of ghosts and spirits, and many people ask, "What do spirits look like?" The answer varies in different cultures, as some take physical form, others are more subtle, and some originate within us or in a particular place.

Intelligent or Interactive Ghosts

Intelligent or interactive ghosts are believed to be adept spirits who are aware of their surroundings and able to interact with the living.

Interactive ghosts are said to be the most common and active. They are also linked with residential hauntings when the ghost seems to be re-enacting the same action or movements endlessly.

Benevolent ghosts have also been known to possess the ability to communicate with the living. Such ghosts can speak, write messages, or move objects to ensure the living understand their message or seek help.

Most paranormal investigators believe that intelligent ghosts draw energy from the environment, perhaps from the emotions of the living. If ghosts are intelligent enough, they can set household objects in motion and create physical manifestations, such as cold spots and unexplained smells.

Poltergeists

Poltergeist literally translates from German as 'noisy ghost' and is a common term used to describe an apparition known for its playful (and occasionally violent) activities.

The term derives from Swedish and German translations of the words' noise' (poltern) and 'ghost' (geist). As the name suggests, these restless spirits are commonly associated with haunted houses and other locations that are said to be filled with paranormal and bizarre activity.

And unlike other ghosts, poltergeists are considered harmful ghosts, often scratching, biting, or otherwise physically assaulting them. On occasion, poltergeists are reported to injure or even kill their victims.

Read our article on Should I Be Scared of Ghosts?

Orbs

An orb is described as a small, hazy ball of light independent of its surroundings.

Orbs have been seen in photos and videos, and some believe they are spirit or ghost orbs, while many feel they are inconsequential phenomena such as dust or moisture in the atmosphere or simply a flaw in the camera.

To those who believe in ghosts and the paranormal, the ghost orb represents the essence of the spirit, and if we see multiple orbs in one area, it is said that we might find a group of spirits.

Ectoplasm or Ecto-mist

Ectoplasm or Ecto-mist can refer to a manifestation of a physical substance produced by spiritual energy. It is typically described as cloudy or misty in nature and meant to emanate from the body of a ghost. It represents, or is often associated with, the residual matter of an apparition's physicality in the world.

Ectoplasm was usually produced as visual evidence within séances, such as table levitation, or to explain the appearance of a ghostly figure.

Shadow People

Shadow people are among the most common types of ghosts or spirits reported. They are described as small, dark, shadowy figures that are entirely featureless, with no facial features, as if they were wearing a ski mask and no clothing.

Witnesses usually describe the shadow people as very frightening or that there was a pervading sense of dread when they encountered them and that they were effective at planting fear.

Some have also suggested that the presence of shadow people is malevolent.

While there is literally no known scientific reason for the existence of shadow people, some paranormal investigators believe they might be the byproduct of lingering psychic energy or a phantom equilibrium, while others are convinced they're the spirits of dead people.

Apparitions

An apparition is a ghostly figure or spirit that seems to appear in a certain place. It is not necessarily associated with a haunted house or location per se but is common to people who seem to have had sightings in an area where strange things have occurred.

Over the centuries, there have been numerous reports of people seeing and encountering such an apparition; some claim it is evidence of an afterlife or the existence of spirits.

Some apparitions are said to be full-bodied, others misty and absent from the lower half of the body, with only a head and shoulders; some appear as ethereal shadows, wispy, vague, and indeterminate.

Some appear as perfectly formed human figures, others as amorphous blobs, some as strangers or ghostly beings, and others resembling deceased people they know or love.

Funnel Ghosts

It is rumoured that funnel ghosts are usually seen in rooms that form a funnel shape, such as those near a chimney or a ventilation shaft.

Usually, observers catch fleeting glimpses of these ghosts, described as small, misty apparitions that appear to be moving up and down the funnel, presumably because they are somehow caught in a draft of air.

What's remarkable about funnel ghosts is that, at least as far as we have been able to trace, they belong to specific cultures and places.

In some parts of the world, the term 'funnel ghost' is unknown, but these entities are known locally as 'chimney sweeps'. They are the spirits of those who died working, perhaps because they fell from chimneys while cleaning the ventilation of homes and industrial buildings.

Elemental Spirits

The most exciting ghosts and spirits discussed here are those characterised as elemental spirits. Ghost hunters believe elementals are 'characterised as non-anthropomorphic manifestations', meaning they are neither human nor like animals. Instead, paranormalists suggest that they consist of the four Classical elements: earth, air, fire, and water.

Elemental spirits are thought to each have their own characteristic features. Earth spirits are considered stable and grounded, while air elementals are changeable and unpredictable. Fire spirits are said to be passionate and intense, while water spirits are said to be fluid and emotional.

One of the most widespread beliefs about spirit elements is that they are well-entrenched in the natural environment. Spirit elements are often associated with specific domains of nature, such as forests, rivers, mountains, or oceans, and are believed to reside in and lend their power to these places.

Animal Ghosts

Animal ghosts are the spirits of deceased animals that 'remain earthbound' after their death. They supposedly show up where animals have been seen or where they have been buried.

Domesticated animal ghosts, especially cats and dogs, are relatively common, but there have also been many reports of wild animal ghosts.

However, the word's negative connotation is still present in the perception of animal ghosts, which may also be seen as bearers of negative energy or bad omen, just like human ghosts or spirits.

Is There a Difference Between Ghosts and Spirits?

Ghosts are usually considered the spirits of dead people who, for some reason, have not been able to transition to whatever happens next. They are still bound to this world, sometimes by guilt or unfinished business, and can be channelled by people such as mediums and clairvoyants.

Ghosts are often associated with haunted places with a tragic history.

In contrast, entities typically thought of as spirits are usually considered relatively benevolent forces that tend to benefit the living.

Spirits are apt to be regarded as the soul or essence of deceased loved ones who have passed on to the afterlife and are looking out for (or listening to) their living relatives. Spirits are typically associated with feelings of warmth and security and are often said to be capable of contacting the living in various ways.

Clairvoyant Readings

Clairvoyant readings involve divining the spirit world to help garner answers to questions or concerns.

Clairvoyants access information thought to be on the 'other side' of the human experience that allows them a moment to peer into the past, present, or future.

Commonly known as psychics, mediums, or clairvoyants, they tune into their sixth sense, extra-sensory perception, or innate psychic abilities to leave the physical world for a short time and 'see' what messages exist for their clients.

People often ask if clairvoyants can see ghosts. The answer is yes – a clairvoyant can see and communicate with a spirit (ghosts are a form of spirit).

The clairvoyant feels that energy in different forms and can relate to individual spirits that are following around this world of duality (the world we all live in, with flesh and bones) and some that have crossed over to a world of singularity (the afterlife) and receive messages from both spheres.

If you want to talk to a real psychic, please check out her, him, or them online and verify that a reputed psychic service delivers psychic readings by genuine clairvoyants.

Take the time to seek out psychics who are reviewed and receive great feedback and who give you the sense that you are in touch with a genuine clairvoyant and honest medium from their messages and website.

FAQs

Which Type of Ghost Is the Strongest?

Perhaps the most aggressive of all ghosts is the poltergeist. The name itself means 'noise-generator'. Poltergeists can play tricks with objects, making noises, and even physically assaulting people by hitting or throwing objects at them.

Are Poltergeists Considered Dangerous?

A paranormal entity, a poltergeist can disrupt a household or other location by throwing or levitating objects, making strange noises, causing havoc, and sometimes even attacking people.

The word Poltergeist is German for noisy ghost. Poltergeists don't generally physically assault people, but their behaviour is nonetheless alarming and unnerving.

Can Ghosts Interact With the Physical World?

Can ghosts touch? It's an ancient question that has produced all manner of tantalising speculation.

In the absence of any evidence type, we must apply our scientific facility not simply to answer questions but to ask questions.

Though no one has proven to a scientific standard the verity of ghosts or any claims put forward by their advocates, plenty of people claim to have experienced the feeling of having been touched by ghosts, both during and after meetings with them, and in circumstances that would lend some credibility to such claims.

Are There Any Famous Ghosts?

Yes, many of them are ghosts that we've long recognised, too, because we've seen them over a long period of time and recorded them. Take, for instance, the ghost of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, whom her husband executed. Her ghost is said to haunt the Tower of London.

Another well-known ghost is the Gray Lady, who is supposed to dwell in more places than any other. They believe she resides at universities, castles, and private homes.

While some may be sceptical about ghosts, reports and sightings of these famous ghosts have been recorded, and the most famous ghosts continue to attract worldwide attention.

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