Spirits or Ghost?

I just want to share an article I came across from eHow.

How to tell if Spirits or Ghost are communicating with you

Ghosts are disembodied people who are "trapped" in this physical world. Ghost are usually trapped due to trauma or unfinished business here on earth. By being attached to people, things or events that occurred in the past they cannot cross over. Ghost need direction and assistance in delivering a message or fixing a situation which will allow them to proceed to the afterlife. While Spirits "Angels" have crossed over and only appear to comfort us, guide us and observe our lives.

1st Method: LIGHTS FLICKER: Spirits have the ability to create electrical disturbances in order to get your attention. Don't immediately assume every flicker is a spirit, check the bulb, switch, or fuse. If everything is fine and there is no other explanation then you may Assume.

2nd Method: APPLIANCES TURN OFF/ON: Spirits have the ability to create electrical disturbances in order to get your attention and make you aware they are there. A spirit may turn the radio volume up on their favorite song, or turn the TV off on a show they dislike. Also unexplainable Cold spots are signs. The manifestation of a spirits requires energy, which could create a cold spot from the spirits using the energy of a specific location.

3rd Method: DREAMS: Dreams are believed to be the primary way spirits communicate with the living, since it is the easiest way to make contact without creating fear. A spirit may enter your dreams to give you a message, advice, or even warn you. When you have a dream that you believe you encountered a spirit, try to analyze and decode the message. Messages from spirits are rarely straight forward, use a Dream Dictionary to help you interpret your dreams.

4th Method: COLD CHILLS: When you experience an awkward chill in mild or warm weather, it is possible that a spirit is passing or near. Since the spirit absorbs heat which is energy in movement and leave a cold spot/chill behind.

5th Method: PET BEHAVIOR: Animals have very intense senses and are believed to have a 6th sense which keeps them in tune with spirits around them. Odd behavior from a pet is also a sign that spirits are around. To see a Dog barking/growling repeatedly for no reason or if a cat starts refusing to go into certain parts of the house or acts like it's been shooed away from something.

6th Method: WIERD COINCIDENCE: experience strange coincidences such as thinking of the deceased person then coming into contact with things or people that remind you of them. For example your reading a book and then unexpectedly you start to think about your Grandfather, then later on you come into contact with a relative who tells you he passed away.

7th Method: UNEXPLAINED FRAGRANCES: We have memories about how our deceased relatives or friends used to smell. These memories are stored by perfume/fragrance they liked or by a specific activity they performed. For example your at the office working and suddenly you smell flowers which reminds you of your dead mother who was a gardener.

8th Method: MOVING/MISSING OBJECTS: Having missing items, such as books, jewelry, personal items or even to receive gifts that one may know was from them are signs of communication from spirits. Spirits have the ability to move objects in order to get our attention or to send us a message. You will only see the actual movement if the message is extremely important. Usually things appear in different places then you where you originally placed it. For example a Widow who lives alone, places her watch on the table and the next mourning she wakes up and the watch is next to the bed. Think about the actual meaning of that object to you, and how can it relate to your deceased relative or friends.

9th Method: APPARITIONS: This is a method that is rarely used by spirits usually ghost because it can really frighten the person. The most common apparitions are to see impressions on furniture or a bed as if someone is or was sitting there and to view photos and see apparitions appear in pictures.

10th Method: VOICES/SOUNDS: The most common thing people hear is voices calling their names, laughing or chatter when no one is around or insight. Hearing sounds, such as foot steps, doors opening/closing, music, voices, whispers, rapping, banging, or something being dropped are also common.

Good lesson but first I'd like to point out the difference between a ghost and spirit, if I may.

A spirit is basically your essence. You pass away, the spirit leaves. Sometimes spirits can't pass over for whatever reason.

Ghosts on the other hand are like residual energy left behind, for example if someone died dramatically. You can usually tell the difference between ghosts and spirits because ghosts repeat the same actions at certain times. To get rid of a ghost, all you'd have to do most the time is disrupt the pattern. They go and sit in a chair, move the chair. Problem solved.

Spirits aren't so easy to get rid of. I normally don't bother with neither one if it's not bothering me. Spirits can float around, ghosts can just keep doing their thing. I'm too lazy to care :P

Well, this was interesting to read. I do actually agree with Dream_Reaper, ghosts do this repeatably. And most of this stuff I have experienced in my house, and I did know already, but I didn't know that they were calling me out, I thought they were somewhat trying to get me irritated. Thanks for pointing this information out, Aileen.

i have a few questions. 1st: my uncle died when i was little and i dont really remember him. about a year ago he started showing up in my dreams. so he's a spirit right? and second, my boyfriend died of suicide last june, i've seen him many times since school started. but what im wondering is if hes a ghost or spirit. when i first saw him there was blood all over his chest from his death and he was some what transparent.