Residual Energy Hauntings

Many ghost hunters – including me – have theories about residual energy hauntings.

That is, eerie, repeating energy at haunted sites, and what they mean.

First, let’s start with the two most common types of hauntings.

Two kinds of hauntings

The first are active or ‘intelligent’ hauntings, involving the presence of a sentient spirit or ghost.

The rest are usually residual energy imprint hauntings, often called “residual energy hauntings” or just “imprints.”  Most result from an emotional incident, and usually a violent event.

Perhaps, just like an iron remains hot long after it’s turned off, strong energy seems to be stored in physical surroundings, at least for a while.

When someone witnesses this kind of haunting and is startled by it, that energy may refuel the setting so that the manifestations and/or impressions continue.

(This may also explain haunted objects. Maybe they’re just storing residual, emotional energy.)

How experts explain residual energy hauntings

Ghost hunters may disagree about the frequency and importance of residual energy hauntings.

We may use different terms for it. But, we usually agree about what it is:

In Ghosts, Spirits and Hauntings, author Patricia Telesco uses the term ‘memory imprint‘ and describes it as, ‘An energy remnant that leaves a mark on a room or region.’

Although it’s dismiss it as unlikely, in The Field Guide to Ghosts and Other Apparitions, authors Evans and Huyghe call it a ‘memory trace‘ and relate it to a psychic ‘tape recording of a voice’ that some witnesses can perceive.

In The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Ghosts & Hauntings, Tom Ogden describes a ‘residual haunting… a sudden displacement in time during which you see into or experience the past’.

Cassandra Eason, in Ghost Encounters, refers to imprints in terms of a ‘worn-out reel of film constantly replaying in an empty cinema’ and dismisses them as hauntings.

In his study, How to Hunt Ghosts : A Practical Guide, Joshua P. Warren says, ‘Regardless of exactly how time functions, paranormal imprints show us that, for whatever reason, events can be recorded in an environment.’  (Important note: Joshua is not related to Ed & Lorraine Warren, often associated with the Amityville House hauntings.)

And, in The Ghost Hunter’s Guidebook, Troy Taylor talks about residual hauntings saying, ‘This type of phenomena is much more common than people think’. I agree with him.

Here are some of my thoughts

But really, we’re all guessing

I’ve encountered many ghosts and hauntings, in a variety of settings, from cemeteries to apartment buildings.

It appears that at least 50% of all reported hauntings — and perhaps more — are the product of residual energy.

However, that’s just a guess. It may only reflect the kinds of haunted sites I’ve visited.  I tend to favor ancient sites, and hauntings from the 19th century.

In some cases, if the residual energy is bothering those currently living in (or regularly visiting) the site, you can try some residual energy solutions.

Hauntings can involve both residual energy and actual ghosts

It can be difficult to tell which is which.

In my experience, residual energy hauntings don’t change very much.

An extreme is Gilson Road Cemetery in Nashua, NH. I’ve encountered the exact same energy, day after day, starting at about noon. That’s why I’ve used it to teach ghost hunting; the ghostly energy is predictable!

Generally, residual energy hauntings provide the ‘good scare‘ that many ghost hunters enjoy.

By contrast, an active haunting — caused by an actual ghost, spirit, or apparition — can surprise you.

Many ghosts will react to the people who are in ‘their’ area. Each visit to a site with a ghost will be a little different. It’s often not fun, and it can be more intense than people expect.

Residual energy hauntings provide a window to the past.

When you’re psychically ‘seeing’ something that seems like a movie, it may be an imprint of the event on the environment.

Or it might be something else.

As ghost hunters, we’re still trying to figure out what’s behind our experiences at haunted places.

For now, those are my best guesses about residual energy hauntings.

If you have more insights, please share them in comments below!

 

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A radical, delightfully geeky theory:

When you feel as if you’re “seeing” (or experiencing) an entire event from the past, it may actually be a window through time.

In other words, it might relate to a parallel universe or be a weird ripple in time.

I’ve discussed this in my Are Ghosts Dead? article, too.

(If those concepts intrigue you, I recommend following the evolution of string theory, M theory, and related quantum and physics studies. One of the best introductions is a PBS television show called ‘The Elegant Universe‘ and the Science Channel’s ‘Parallel Universe‘ program.)