32 What are some different categories of manifestations? (Folklore / Ghost Stories)
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This article is from the Ghost Stories FAQ, by obiwan obiwan@best.com with numerous contributions by others.
32 What are some different categories of manifestations? (Folklore / Ghost Stories)
Ghostly visitations fall into several distinct categories. Here
are a few of the most common.
* Crisis Apparitions -- These ghosts appear most often to their
loved ones at a moment of great crisis or death. Typically, the
ghosts appear only once to a special loved one who may be many
miles away at the time of the accident.
* Doppelgangers -- Doppelgangers are ghostly doubles of living peo-
people. Often the doppelganger is not visible to the person him-
self, and will simply follow the person around. In some cases a
person will come upon his own doppelganger who is typically engaged
in some future activity. Doppelgangers are traditionally consid-
ered omens of bad luck or even death.
* Repeated Actions -- Many apparitions are always viewed repeating
the same motions or scenes. Many classic hauntings fall into this
category. An example of this type of haunting is The Brown Lady of
Raynham Hall, who was always seen moving down a hallway with a lan-
tern in her hand. Usually these ghosts pay little or no attention
to the observer.
* Poltergeists -- Poltergeists are the only spirits who leave immed-
iate physical traces. Poltergeists are best known for throwing
things about and producing rapping sounds and other noises. In
fact, the word "poltergeist" means "noisy ghost" in German. Pol-
tergeists often occur where there are children on the brink of
puberty, and often interact with people.
* Ghostly Sounds and Lights -- Sometimes a haunting will consist en-
tirely of the sound of footsteps or ghostly music. There are also
many legends of ghost lights, which are often said to be caused by
someone's ghostly lantern or by a spectral motorcycle or train.
* Possessed Ojects -- Sometimes inanimate objects are said to be
cursed or possessed. A very famous example of a supposed cursed
object is the Hope Diamond. Sometimes a particular piece of furn-
iture will refuse to stay in place, even moving in front of the
owner's eyes.
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