By Patti Wigington
Belief in ghosts, poltergeists, and other entities is not something that is unique to the Pagan religious traditions. Many people – Pagan and otherwise – accept the existence of some sort of spiritual plane, a place where a variety of entities exist beyond the veil. Because this is a discussion topic that is often popular in the Pagan community, particularly around the Samhain season, we’re going to take a brief look at ghosts, poltergeists and other types of haunting. For more detailed information on these and more, be sure to visit with Stephen Wagner, our About.com Guide to Paranormal Phenomena.
What is a Ghost?
As with many aspects of the metaphysical world, it’s hard to define exactly what a ghost is. However, there are a number of theories about what ghosts could be. The most popular theory is that ghosts are simply shades of the dead – people who, for one reason or another, could not quite move on to the next place they were supposed to be.