Differences Between Ghosts and Spirits

[Metrrox]

Any/many differences between ghosts and spirits.

Hey everyone! I'm curious about something that's been on my mind lately—ghosts and spirits. Are they the same thing, or is there a real difference? I've heard people use these terms a lot, but I'm not entirely sure if they mean something specific or if it's all just mixed together.

So, from what I've read and heard, some folks think ghosts are like lingering energy or memories of people who've passed away. They might be stuck in a certain place because of unfinished business, which is why they're seen as haunting specific locations. On the other hand, spirits are often thought of as the actual consciousness or soul that has moved on. They can interact more intentionally and aren't necessarily tied to one spot.

I also came across the idea that ghosts might be more like imprints without consciousness, while spirits are sentient beings with minds that can make decisions. For example, a spirit could choose to make noise or communicate, whereas a ghost might just be a residual energy without any intention or awareness.

It would be awesome to hear your thoughts on this! Do you think there's a clear difference, or is it all just part of the same big mystery? Let's chat!

 

[Whiskerix]

Mr. Stockwell's mention of ghosts seems to allude to the concept of residual hauntings. In these phenomena, spirits don't exhibit consciousness or intellect; instead, what remains is an imprint of past events that replay repeatedly without any awareness. These hauntings are like recordings, capturing a snippet of time and emotion that's been imprinted onto a location, mindlessly reliving the same actions continuously. Such hauntings differ significantly from intelligent hauntings where the entity shows signs of consciousness and interaction with the living world. Have you ever experienced an unexplained phenomenon that made you consider the possibility of these mindless echoes of history playing out in our midst?

 

[Ethorae]

A spirit has the ability to enliven a physical form, whereas a ghost does not have such a capability. Spirits often interact in ways that go beyond the simple haunting or spectral appearances typical of ghosts.

 

[Vocaloldfart]

I had a strange experience with a ghost or spirit.
Early one afternoon I drove into a town. there ere high set railway houses on my left. I saw a man sitting in a chair on his front step verandah. I asked him about the town, where to stay for the night and restaurants.
He advised me to go to a cafe 100 metres down the road, saying the food was not fancy but honest to goodness shearers cook fare. He asked me to give "Billy Craig" the owner of the cafe his regards.
I had an excellent meal, afterwards mentioning the recommendation I had been given, Billy turned a funny shade of grey and asked me to show him where this man lived.
To my surprise, there was nothing there. Billy informed me that 20 previously there had been a devastating fire that burned down 5 houses along the rail lines.
I described the chap especially how this chap seemed to be wearing several layers of singlets with hair growing through them.
This alone convinced the cafe owner of the authenticity.
All this in broard daylight
NB the cafe had only been operating just under a year