Poltergeists and Ghosts

There is a difference between poltergeist-like activity and that of a haunting.

Hauntings are usually non-violent, whereas poltergeist activity may seem to physically attack an individual.

Hauntings are the residual energies left by a deceased person appearing in certain areas known to the spirit in life. They are linked to a specific area and tragic death such as sudden accidental death or murder.

Some characteristics of a "typical" haunting are:

~Cold Spots.

~Odd Noises where noises shouldn't be.

~Odors, such as a familiar cologne or perfume, roses, lilacs, or even   tobacco.

~Footsteps.

~Unusual behavior in pets, i.e, dogs or cats running from a certain room or refusing to go into a certain area of the house, or they will stare at an empty space.

~The sensation of being watched.

~Hearing whispers, laughs or some other auditory response.

~Seeing "Shadow People".

An actual Haunting, will have a it's own "personality". Each one is different in it's own respect, because people as individuals have different personalities. Our personalities are our "essences", our "beings", our "selves". That's what makes us different from one another.

"Poltergeist" is another one of those 400 year old terms, like Banshee or Hag, that some still use today. It's old German meaning "noisy ghost"...we've come a long way in our understanding since the days of yore...and again, just like "ectoplasm", I bet'cha the first time you heard the word "Poltergeist", was where? ...The movies. (and the internet)

A "poltergeist" type "haunting", usually centers around one individual, that commonly being a young girl going through puberty. The emotional upheavals, the roller coaster of life, etc...the activity is said to be caused by the individual unbeknownst to them. It's the unconscious discharge of emotional energy. (noooo, forget about the movie "Carrie", it's not THAT bad)

Have you ever gotten so damn mad, that weird things happen briefly? ...There you have it.

I would be willing to bet it can also happen around an older woman in the menopausal stages...hormonal imbalances, mood swings, lots of emotions flowing at the same time...

Another phenomena is known as Interactive Hauntings. This is when the spirit takes the form of a consciousness, free thinking if you will. They will let their presence be known in some way. They may come to a person in dreams, as a clear voice conveying a specific "message" or calling out a person's name, or they can move or hide objects.

They can physically touch a person, such as stroking the hair, or in one case give a consoling hug.

These are the "good ghosts", or what some would call their Guardian Angel.

The "bad ghost", or demon, is the one who will inflict mental and physical harm.

They can strike out at a person, throw objects across the room, shake furniture, start fires, and take possession of a person.

I myself have been pushed down stairs, had my camera actually swatted out of my hand on numerous occasions, felt someone choking me, and even had one follow me home....which was no picnic.

Here's where the confusion and Hollywood brainwashing sets in. Since all these bad things happen, then it has to be a Poltergeist, right?...Maybe according to Steven Spielberg, but not in the real world...

A Repeater, is a manifestation that is forever re-living a specific moment or event they had experienced in life. This the left over residual energy that is akin to replaying a particular scene from a movie.

The Anniversary Ghost, only makes an appearance once a year, usually for about a month or so. It usually comes about the time of it's death, or around the holidays.

A spirit will take their personality with them to the other side, it's their essence, it's who they were. If they were a good, honest, helpful individual in life then they would be considered the "angel" type if they choose not to move on.

On the other hand, if they were a total knucklehead, i.e., belligerent, spiteful, loathsome, destructive, and deceitful, then they would be the "demons". These types feed on the fear they inflict on their victims. The negative emotional energies caused by that fear fuels the fires. They like it as much as would a playground bully would enjoy picking on the little kids. It makes them feel powerful.

A different type of phenomena is known as an Elemental. These are the ascended beings that haven't had a chance to be born yet. They are just raw energy without any idea of what goes where.

They just take on a basic shape and when seen are described as "monsters". They know no right from wrong and wreak havoc wherever they go.

Different cultures have different ideas and descriptions for elementals. Pagan, Wiccan, and Native American sects refer to them as Nature Spirits, while European lore denotes them as evil little critters.

Probably the most noted one is at Leap Castle in Ireland. They simply refer to it as "It"...

The Darby clan got the castle through marriage, and it was handed down through the generations as a family home. They cleaned up the grounds, and the grizzly remains of a long and violent history that took place there during the Middle -Ages. Early in 1900, Jonathan and Mildred Darby became the new owners. As the fashion of era, Mildred naively dabbled in the occult, and would conduct makeshift séances with her friends using another form of "talking board" communications. This was done by simply arranging cards with the letters of the alphabet in a circle, then placing their finger tips on a drinking glass as a Planchette. It is said that it was Mildred's amateurish toying with the occult, is what awakened the elemental known as "It"...

There is reputed to be one in the woods at Spangler Spring in Gettysburg. A group of friends and I felt "something" that was very odd...like something just wasn't right, or didn't belong...it was a very very uncomfortable feeling.

My friend *Natalie* stood frozen, staring at the big pile of rocks near the side of the road. I looked over in the direction she was, and I kid you not, I saw it too.

It was an ugly little thing...small in stature, about 3 to 4 feet tall, grayish in color, small but wiry build, no hair, and a big, toothy, wicked grin on its face. It was crouched on the rocks like a gargoyle guarding a cathedral. In an instant, it vanished...

Needless to say, we all beat feet out of there...

Elementals, in this sense, are said to inhabit places of great anguish, suffering, pain, and negative emotion. It is said that they "feed" off of the negativity.

It's no wonder then, that we have located and encountered a similar being at the Reformatory. What better place for a smorgasbord of emotion...

We've nicknamed him "Elmo". He is always preceded by an awful smell, and "eyes" have been caught on film by many people from many different areas of the prison.

He first made his debut only recently, April of 2001, a week after that big Solar Flare slammed into the earth. The whole building felt...charged.

I took an astral trip to the prison one night, putting myself on his spiritual level, because I wanted to see, or try to see what we were dealing with now.

I saw this one as well, while in the astral state. He too was between 3 and 4 feet tall.

Thick torsoed with long, skinny yet muscular arms, with three-fingered clawed hands.

His legs were short and misshapen, almost like the hind quarters of a dog. He was greenish-grayish-brownish in color, and again, this one was completely hairless ...and I finally recognized the odor.

It was reptilian...like the smell your pet frog used to get when you were little.

Now I can't draw to save my life, but I made a sketch as best I could of what I saw...then, at the last hunt of the season in November of 2001, a lady actually got him on film...She said it was about 1:00 in the morning, and this hallway is pitch black at that time. Where the light source behind him is coming from, is anyone's guess, but the circular pattern is reminiscent of the "portal" I once saw long ago.

I suspect that these may be one of the forms invoked by the use of Ouija Boards. Some past attendees at the charity hunts have been known to smuggle them in, and attempt to use them. Anyone caught doing so is immediately removed from the premises.

That's one of the big rules of the hunts, No Ouija Boards!

So far, "Elmo" hasn't caused anyone physical harm. It's just his presence at times that has left people shaken because they cannot describe the feeling he brings with him. Some say "evil", some say it's the feeling of complete "hatred", other's are just left speechless.

In my own opinion, I think he's just confused about his strange new surroundings, and curious about all these strange "beings" that are unfamiliar to him. All of the photos obtained by other people, show the "eyes" in the background...almost as if he's "watching" them, trying to learn or something.

Poor little "Elmo"...he's a victim of his own curiosity. Brought here by fools tampering with things they know nothing about, and trapped by time.

I think of him as a "Stranger in a strange land"...curious, yet cautious, defensive, and evasive...He's a quick little sucker too.

~~~copyright 2001, Dr. Ken

None of this material may be used without
 the written consent of Dr. Ken