Ghost vs Spirit
There are millions of people around the world having belief in ghosts and spirits. There are people who talk of ghosts and spirits in the same breath as if the two are same and interchangeable while there are also a sizeable number of people believing them to be two different entities. Mostly, ghosts and spirits are believed to be manifestations of dead people and animals. These manifestations can be in a form that is known to humans or they can manifest themselves in forms that are bizarre, to say the least. In this article, we shall attempt to find out if there are any differences between ghost and spirits.
Ghost
Ghost is a concept that has roots in the belief of afterlife. Right from the times of animism, there have been many religions that talk about life after death. These religions are also known to talk about hell and heaven as destinations for people after death depending upon their deeds in letter and spirit. A ghost is a person who has passed away but does not get through the world to start on his afterlife. He remains stuck in between; he is neither fully in the physical world nor completely in his afterlife. A ghost is feared by most who believe in their existence. It is no surprise then that the word ghost has negative connotations. Whenever we hear about places that are haunted we can be pretty sure that they are visited by these ghosts. Ghosts in general haunt places and people they were associated with when alive.
Spirit
Spirits are dead people who have crossed the realms of the real world and have been to the afterworld. They are not stuck in their afterlife, and they have the ability to revisit the physical world. Spirits, when they visit humans, use symbols, sounds and smells that remind us of the people who were once alive and within us. Spirits come back in the real world to comfort us and often guide human beings when they are looking for direction. If you had a relative who loved you too much and cannot bear to see you in anguish and pain, he may revisit you after his death in the form of a spirit to soothe and comfort you.
What is the difference between a Ghost and a Spirit?
• Ghosts are the souls of dead who are not able to cross the line between the real world and the after world. They choose to haunt places and people they were associated with when alive.
• Spirits are souls of the dead who have been to the afterworld and choose to revisit human beings to soothe and comfort them
• Ghosts are aggressive and scary and choose to frighten human beings while spirits are friendly and comforting
• Ghosts have not been able to cross the boundary to live an after life and are waiting to be liberated to start on their journey of an afterlife.
• Spirits want us to recognize them through their sounds and smells as they are really our loved ones who left us after dying and have also completed their afterlife
Is there a difference between the dead, ghosts, and spirits?
Yes. Ghosts are not from the after life.
Spirits are visiting spirits, they usually have a purpose when they visit.
Ghosts are just looking for a place to stay and frighten us. They have unfinished business on earth and believe they are not dead.
I was chosen to be visited by my father inlaw after he passed, I was separated from his son, but was close to my father inlaw, he was a very nice man, he came to me , I was scared because it took me by surprise, he wasn’t happy where he was buried, and it took me two months to finally get his two children to move him , and he came to me after he was moved and said thank you, and said he loved me, in that two months he was in my apartment every night, my six year old daughter saw him, he passed away on her birthday, I had to go talk to my priest, about this many times, he is at peace !
Excellent article. Especially for those that are just learning about the paranormal realm. There are so many misconceptions and this is a great forum for education. Thank You. Mary Ann
I am seeing repetition on the definition of ghosts and spirits. Spirits can be negative as well. The same said about ghosts could be said about spirits. Neither are in the physical realm; I have encountered positive and negative spirits. So is it how we interpret it for ourselves? Both require discernment. I guess I am trying to understand deeper. Spirits walk through my house. I also believe it is about people’s fears… if it is scary it is a ghost but people who do not encounter spirits would see spirits as scary.
My son visits me often I believe he is a spirit . He died Nov. 12th. At first he was here all the time now just occasionally.
Thank you so much.
My husband passed when my child was 13….when she eventually had 3 children . I could hear them playing with someone. Years passed and I passed down my photo albums to my daughter…. They were looking at them one night with her ….They recognized their grandfather, having never met him when he was alive…..the kids told her that is who they play with as toddlers….. Talk about chills, from that point own I believed he is watching over them !!