Guest Author - Deanna Joseph

There has been much interest in the paranormal over the last hundred years, and with the arrival of such reality TV shows as “Ghost Hunters,” “A Haunting,” “Scariest Places on Earth,” and “Most Haunted”, ghost hunting has become a national pastime.

But are the spirits of the dead more hype and the product of an overactive imagination than fact?

Mankind has long held a belief in the supernatural. In many cultures around the world it has been a custom to honor and respect the spirits of deceased loved ones. In fact, to not honor the dead could be inviting bad luck into the family. In many traditions it is considered taboo to disturb the resting place of the dead. Great misfortune is brought upon anyone disturbing a sacred burial mound and angering the spirits. And both shaman and priest alike have been trained in the intricacies of hauntings and spirit possessions.

A belief in ghosts is a common theme that has spanned many cultures over thousands of years. But does it answer our question? Are ghosts real?

Ghosts do seem to be able to make their presence known in a variety of ways. They can be both subtle and not so subtle, as a glimpse of a shadow out of the corner of our eye or a picture being knocked off the wall. Spirits of deceased loved ones are known for appearing in dreams, and may in fact make their presence known just by popping into ones imagination at just the right time. The room may feel colder when a ghost wanders through, or one may even feel the hair on the back of their neck stand up when in the presence of the deceased.

And with the modern technology of digital recording devices and cameras that seem to pick up on energies from the otherworld, it also seems that science is able to support the theory that ghosts are indeed real.

One does not even necessarily need to be a psychic medium to pick up on the presence of ghosts. In fact, having an open mind does not seem to be a prerequisite, as many skeptics have reported spirit activity.

Are ghosts real? Maybe one needs to have their own ghostly experience in order to answer this question. Maybe one needs to experience first hand the visit of a deceased loved one or see their own dreamtime apparition. Myself, I’m inclined to believe in the tales of my ancestors; that spirits are real and meant to be honored, and that sometimes out of necessity, they make themselves known to us on the physical plane.