I've been thinking a lot lately about the paranormal. There are a lot of shows cropping up and it seems like each one gets more outrageous than the previous one. I watched a couple of episodes of a new show called "Extreme Paranormal" or something like that. Then there's Ghost Lab - that's a new one too.

Extreme Paranormal is the most horrifying to date. They actually perform rituals and the like to prod at the spirit world. They will replicate traumatic fatal events so prompt spirit activity. They are really really aggressive in their attempt to contact the departed.

Now, my attitude is to each his/her own. They are living the life they feel compelled to live, who am I to judge.

These new shows have sparked some conversations with my partner that have served to further define my spiritual beliefs which I enjoy. I am realizing that I have formed certain conclusions based on my own personal experiences in conjunction with what I see happening in these shows so I thought I'd start a discussion about my theories, conclusions and conjecture.

My partner asked the other night why some spirits seem to have the ability to manifest more fully (as though they were in human form) while others are present but cannot seem to manifest. And in between those two extreme examples, lies a spectrum of degrees of manifestation.

I found myself responding with a theory that I think makes the most sense. I've heard repeatedly during these paranormal shows that investigators belief that spirits use energy from electronic sources as a means to manifest. They draw energy from batteries in cameras or recorders to make a sound, or show themselves to some degree. While this may be true, I think there is more to the story.

Just as in life, spirits possess emotions. In fact, I believe that the source of our emotions lies in our spirit form. I'm not aware of any scientific evidence that can pinpoint a biological function that creates emotions. Our chemistry and biological functions are influence and impacted by our emotions, but the source remains a mystery. I believe the source lies within our spirit. This is why spirits can be angry or happy.

In life, emotion fuels us, charges us, gives us energy or adrenaline. The more intense our emotions, the more energy we experience. Like when you are in love and can forgo sleep to spend time with your beloved. Or when you're angry and feel like you can rip phone books with your bare hands. Or when you're terrified and worried and can lift a car with your bare hands because someone you love is trapped inside after an accident. Emotions give us
power and energy.

I believe that since our emotions reside in our spirit, the spirit continues to experience emotions once they are relieved of the shell that contained them. An angry spirit can throw books across the room, or create loud sounds and slam doors. A spirit that is charged with emotion can manifest itself - whether that emotional state be negative (as in anger) or positive (as in love).

I also think a contributing factor is the level of skill a spirit possesses. I don't think every spirit is alike and an obvious distinction is whether they are a "good" spirit or an "evil" spirit. But I think there are varying degrees of skill and ability.....but that's for another discussion!