Spirits Live Among Us

Ghost in a Restaurant — Copyright by US Ghost Adventures

Well… maybe not “live,” but ghosts and spirits are all around you, whether you’ve witnessed them or not.

What is the word spirit? And where did the words for it come from? They haunt right alongside us, around us, and in places you never think would be haunted. They can be where the least you expect them. And spirits are not “trick ponies,” they will not perform on cue every night. However, they might still be there, leaving you with a feeling of dread.

Though the dread is usually unintentional, as the phantom may not be evil. Ghosts have many names: spook, spirits, phantoms, fetch, haint (a common feature of southern oral and literary tradition), wraith, revenant, apparition, spectre, shade, and entity.

What is a Ghost?

In traditional belief, a ghost is the soul of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestations. Descriptions of ghostly apparitions vary widely. The mode of manifestation in photos or seen by the living’s eyes can range from an invisible presence, shadow people, translucent or wispy shapes, and orbs, to realistic, life-like visions—solids.

The deliberate attempt to contact a spirit is known as a séance. Paranormal investigators use equipment to find proof of paranormal activity and to make contact with phantoms. However the efficacy of these tools varies.

In many tales, ghosts are often thought to be deceased people looking for vengeance. Occasionally imprisoned on earth for bad things they did during life. The appearance of a ghost has often been regarded as an omen or portent of death, but not always.

Before we jump into the etymology and history of ghosts, why not book a tour with Colonial Ghosts? You’ll get a chance to see ghosts up close and personal!

Spirits and Ghosts: What are They Composed Of?

Exorcist in Room — Copyright by US Ghost Adventures

A widespread belief concerning apparitions is that they are composed of a misty, airy, or subtle material. Early beliefs were that ghosts were the person within the person (the person’s spirit). Most noticeable in ancient cultures as a person’s breath, which upon exhaling in colder climates appears visibly as a white mist.

This belief may have also fostered the metaphorical meaning of “breath” in certain languages, such as the Latin spiritus and the Greek pneuma, which by analogy became extended to mean the soul. In the Bible, God is depicted as animating Adam with a breath, further fueling this belief.

The belief in manifestations of the spirits of the dead dates back to animism or ancestor worship in pre-literate cultures. Certain religious practices—funeral rites, exorcisms, and some practices of spiritualism and ritual magic—are specifically designed to appease the spirits of the dead.

Ghosts are generally described as solitary essences that haunt particular locations, objects, or people they were associated with in life. Though stories of phantom armies, ghost trains, phantom ships, and even ghost animals have also been recounted.

Origin of the Words for Spirits and Ghosts

The English word ghost continues Old English gást, from a hypothetical Common Germanic *gaistaz. It is common to West Germanic, but lacking in North and East Germanic. The pre-Germanic form was *ghoisdo-s, apparently from a root denoting “fury, anger” reflected in Old Norse geisa “to rage.” The Germanic word is recorded as masculine only, but likely continues a neuter s-stem.

The original meaning of the Germanic word would have been an animating principle of the mind, in particular capable of excitation and fury. In Germanic paganism, “Germanic Mercury,” and the later Odin, was at the same time the conductor of the dead and the “lord of fury” leading the Wild Hunt.

Besides denoting the human spirit or soul, both of the living and the deceased, the Old English word is used as a synonym of Latin spiritus, also meaning of “breath, blast” from the 9th century attestations.

It also denoted any good or evil spirit, like angels and demons. The Anglo-Saxon gospel refers to the demonic possession of Matthew 12:43 as se unclæna gast. Also from the Old English period, the word might also mean the spirit of God: the “Holy Ghost.”

Types of Ghosts

The synonym spook is a Dutch loanword, akin to Low German spôk. It entered the English language via the United States in the 19th century. Alternative modern words included spectre (from Latin spectrum), the Scottish wraith (of obscure origin), phantom (via French ultimately from Greek phantasma, compare fantasy) and apparition.

The term shade in classical mythology translates Greek, or Latin umbra- in reference to the notion of spirits in the Greek underworld. And “haint” is a synonym for ghost in regional English of the southern United States. The “haint tale” is a common feature of southern oral and literary tradition.

A poltergeist, originating from a German word meaning “noisy ghost.” Poltergeists are a spirit often said to manifest itself by invisibly moving and influencing objects.

Wraith is a Scottish dialectal word for “ghost, spectre, and apparition.” It came to be used in Scottish Romanticist literature, and acquired the more general or figurative sense of “portent, omen.” In 18th- to 19th-century Scottish literature, it was also applied to aquatic spirits.

A revenant is a deceased person returning from the dead to haunt the living, either as a disembodied ghost or alternatively as an animated (“undead”) corpse. Also related is the concept of a fetch, the visible ghost or spirit of a person yet alive.

Poltergeist

Most times, a poltergeist is just mischievous, though there instances of it being sinister, not unlike the Bell Witch. Was the Bell Witch a poltergeist or more along demonic lines? Apparently, it was an entity that tormented a pioneer family that lived in what was then Red River, Tennessee in 1817-1827.

It was substantiated by eyewitness accounts, affidavits, and manuscripts written by those who witness the phenomenon. More about this interesting tale can be found in author Pat Fitzhugh’s, The Bell Witch: the Full Account.

Spirits that haunted amoung us - Bell Witch Tennessee — Bell Witch

The entity is similar to a traditional haunting. The spirit is intelligent and existing in the present moment with you. Typically, these spirits are malevolent and hostile, suffering from psychological instability or distress stemming from an unresolved conflict with the people who are being subjected to the demonic activity. Demonic presences tend to be ‘unleashed’ in order for them to manifest, but they can occasionally show up on a whim.

This is one reason why the use of an Ouija Board is customarily discouraged among ghost hunters. Without the proper understanding, one can open up a portal. This may let things in that they cannot handle and most times, demonic in nature.

Why Do Ghosts Haunt People?

In many tales, ghosts were often thought to be deceased people looking for vengeance, or imprisoned on earth for bad things they did during life. White ladies were reported to appear in many rural areas, and supposed to have died tragically or suffered trauma in life.

White Lady, or as they are often called, “Lady in White,” legends are found around the world. Common to many of them is the theme of losing or being betrayed by a husband or fiancé. They are also often associated with an individual family line, as a harbinger of death. When one of these ghosts is seen it indicates that someone in the family is going to die, similar to a banshee.

Spirits and Ghosts – Ghost Ships

The stories of ghost ships have existed since the 18th century. The most notable of these is the Flying Dutchman. The tale of the Flying Dutchman paints a story of a sea captain struggling against the harsh waves.

He swore he would succeed even if he would need to sail until Judgement Day… however, this would prove to be a mistake. The Devil himself heard the sailor’s oath, sentencing him to eternity at sea. The tales vary from there, but there are many similar stories of ghost ships helmed by phantom sailors and pirates.

The most common thread amongst these stories is that these spiritual vessels are derelict and devoid of a crew. These ghostly ships are condemned to an afterlife at sea. Whenever you’re out in the ocean, be wary of tattered ships – they may just be undead!

Haunted Williamsburg

Whatever we call them, apparitions are among us, unseen and occasionally seen. Are they proof that there is existence beyond death, spirits that haunt, or something else? No one knows for sure, but it’s fun to ponder.

Whenever you’re out on a walk in the night, or going for a drive along a lonely country road, do not be surprised if you see shadows move in the darkness. It may be just shadow people. Then again, it may be your imagination, at least, tell yourself that.

If ghosts intrigue you, then you’re in luck! There are plenty more spooky stories waiting for you! The historical spots in Williamsburg, Virginia are rich in eerie legends, ghost sightings, mysterious occurrences, and restless spirits. While you’re in the area, you may just encounter one of these spirits!

Want to dive deeper? Check out our blog for more ghostly tales and book your next Colonial ghost tour today! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more spine-chilling content!

Sources:

https://thecr.com/news/2016/oct/31/ghosts-can-have-many-forms-and-names/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/seance
https://sphereandsundry.com/a-guide-to-dead-and-ancestral-worship-altars-offerings-and-ritual/
https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghost
https://www.southerncultures.org/article/haints-hollers-and-hoodoo/
http://www.bellwitch.org/story.htm
https://discover.hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/The-Woman-in-White-A-Legend
https://www.npr.org/2011/10/06/141123770/the-story-of-the-flying-dutchman

Spirits and Ghosts