The Difference Between Ghosts And Spirits

The terms “ghost” and “spirit” are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences in how they’re traditionally understood.

Over the years, I have found that it is quite common for people to sometimes confuse ghosts with the spirits of their deceased loved ones, primarily because both concepts involve entities that are no longer living in the physical world.

However, understanding the distinction between these two types of entities is important for those seeking comfort, closure, or communication with the afterlife, especially in the context of mediumship readings and spiritualism.

Our emotional connection to the deceased often influences how we interpret paranormal experiences. Grief, longing, and love can make us more receptive to signs and spiritual energies that we believe are from our deceased loved ones.

Without a clear understanding of the differences between ghosts and spirits, any unusual paranormal activity may be misinterpreted as evidence of a loved one’s presence.

While both ghosts and spirits are spiritual phenomena related to the survival of human consciousness beyond the death of the physical body, there are distinct differences in these two types of entities’ connection to the physical world and their level of progression or transition into the afterlife.

Ghosts are earthbound and often troubled, while spirits have transcended earthly concerns and are capable of higher forms of communication and interaction with the living. Here’s how to tell the difference between ghosts and spirits:

Ghosts

Ghosts are earthbound spirits who are typically attached to a specific physical place or geographical location, usually where they died or a place they had a strong connection to in life. They can also be attached to material objects, such as furniture or artifacts, or even to living people. They are restless spirits with “unfinished business” that keeps them from moving to the other side.

Ghosts can become stuck or bound to the earth plane for a variety of reasons, including unfinished business, unresolved issues, strong emotional attachments to people, places, or material possessions, or simply not realizing or accepting that they have died.

Ghosts also tend to manifest as apparitions, causing strange occurrences and paranormal disturbances in the places where they reside through auditory, visual, or sensory phenomena. Ghost phenomena is known in the field of paranormal investigations as a residual or intelligent haunting. Their presence is sometimes associated with a repetitive pattern or behavior that reflects their life experiences or the circumstances of their death.

The interactions we may have with ghosts are usually more focused on the ghost itself and its past, with an emphasis on understanding its history, helping it resolve its problems, or assisting it in its transition to the afterlife. They are often mostly neutral towards the living, but some can be malevolent, such as poltergeists or “noisy spirits”. Poltergeists are known for their ability to move objects, make loud noises, and generally cause physical disturbances. While not always malevolent, their actions can be frightening and potentially harmful.

Spirits

Spirits are the souls or essences of deceased individuals who have successfully transitioned to the spirit world or afterlife. They are not bound to the earth plane and can move freely between realms. Therefore, they are not attached or limited to any one place, object or person.

A key way to identify a spirit is that they are much more aware of their afterlife state than ghosts, as ghosts are usually unaware that they have died and are now stuck between realms.

Spirits are benevolent and often act as guides or guardians to provide guidance, comfort, protection, and wisdom to the living. They can contact and communicate with us in a variety of ways, including through mediums in séances or psychic readings, offering messages of love, hope, and sometimes warnings, advice, or predictions of the future.

Interaction with spirits is therefore generally uplifting and healing, focusing on the continued existence of the soul beyond physical death and the ongoing connection and relationship with those who have passed on. Encounters with ghosts, however, can leave one feeling uncomfortable, afraid, or worried because of the lower or troubled energy with which they are often associated. In contrast, encounters with the spirits of loved ones are more likely to evoke a sense of peace, warmth, or comforting familiarity.

Apparitions & Visitations

Spirits can sometimes manifest visually as apparitions, similar to ghosts. These visual manifestations can vary greatly in terms of how they are perceived:

Full-bodied apparitions: These encounters are rare and manifest as fully detailed, solid-looking human figures that closely resemble the person as they were in life. They can sometimes be so lifelike that the observer may not realize at first that they are seeing a spirit.

Transparent or semi-transparent figures: More commonly, spirits may appear as translucent, vague or “misty” forms that are recognizable but clearly not of the physical world.

Light manifestations: Spirits can also manifest as orbs, flashes of light, or auras, or shadowy movements seen out of the corner of the eye as a sign of their presence without taking on a distinct human form.

These visual manifestations are more often witnessed or experienced by people who are clairvoyant and more sensitive to spiritual energies.

Apparitions of spirits are a form of communication or visitation from the afterlife, intended to convey messages, offer comfort, or provide guidance to the living. Unlike ghosts, whose appearances are usually due to their emotional state, unresolved issues, or the circumstances of their death, spirits manifest with a clearer purpose, often related to the well-being of the people they visit.

I have had two significant spirit visitations in my own life. The first was when my grandmother, who was the closest person in the world to me, passed away.

I was in a deep sleep one night when I clearly heard my name being called. The clairaudient voice woke me up and in that moment I knew without hesitation that I had to go to the hospital. Within minutes of my arrival to check on her, she passed away.

Later, after the funeral, I was asleep in bed and again I heard my name called. When I woke up, I clearly saw my grandmother standing at the end of my bed as a full-bodied apparition. She told me that everything was going to be okay. I understood that she was referring to the fact that I was pregnant at the time. Almost immediately I went back to sleep and was peaceful after that.

The second time was when I lost my best friend, Magic. She was a beautiful black and white springer spaniel that I loved with all my heart and soul. She was faithfully by my side at a time when my life was falling apart and probably gave me more comfort than any human being could ever have.

After Magic passed away from cancer when she was only eight years old, I was lying in bed one night when I distinctly felt the bed sink with a weight. She used to sleep with me and was always near the foot of the bed. When I looked, there was an imprint in her usual place, as if she had been lying there. I knew it was her coming to comfort me, as she had done in life, to show me that she was still there and that she was okay. It only happened once, but it brought so much peace to my soul.

To distinguish between ghostly encounters and spirit communication, it’s helpful to consider the nature of the experience, the emotions it evokes, and the intentions behind the contact or communication. Grounding, spiritual protection, and setting intentions for positive, loving connections are also essential in our spiritual practice to ensure that communications are with spirits of high vibration rather than earthbound spirits.