12 replies to this topic

[Atropa belladonna]

Why would a cemetery be haunted?
It's not inhabited by the living, so where is the energy coming from, that sprits need to manifest?
I think the general "creeps" we get when we visit a cemetery is the underlying fear of death itself, when you combine that with our ancestors fear of the night, and that what goes bump could eat you, may still be part of us today.

I have only ever experienced sprits and other things that were attached to a place or person. Anything seeming to be attached to a general location such as a piece of land, was usually an echo, a replay of time or action of the once living person.

What are your thoughts?

[AnnieV]

Some believe that the spirits might be attatched to their bodies. That doesn't make much sense to me, personally. But...many times things of special significance to the decease are placed in the casket before burial. If spirits become attatched to other objects, why not an object that's buried with them?

Just a quick thought...and now I've gotta run, but I'll be checking back here when I have more time 'cause this is a great topic!

[Atropa belladonna]

AnnieV,

You know I hadn't thought of that, I have herd of sprits attaching themselves to an object.
But if the object they loved in life were buried with them, wouldn't it give them peace?
oops that question just evoked another question, What if the object was suppose to be passed on to someone else?


M

Edited by Atropa belladonna, 04 July 2008 - 11:15 AM.

[Redhead]

Cemetaries are places where extreme emotions have been felt over time. Grief, anger, love, and yes even fear are all expressed at cemetaries and funerals. When I go to visit the graves of people I knew, I experience memories, another form of energy. All those emotions can be stored up in locations such as a cemetary or hospital. Under the right circumstances, and the right person, these stored energies may be sensed or expressed by what we call hauntings.

[Kira]

Great topic. I've always wondered the very same thing: why would spirits hang around dead bodies in a cemetary when their loved ones or homes are someplace else? I like what Redhead said about the energy, memories and emotions. That makes quite a bit of sense to me. So if it's energy and emotion that is "hanging out" there, then that would be residual like how a house absorbs energy over the years along with imprints of its past inhabitants.

I was at my uncle's funeral in May and what I remember feeling there was loss and sadness, but peace as well. I didn't feel scared or spooked out. If anything I think the sad feelings are coming from the living people who have just lost someone, not the souls who have already passed on. I hope I haven't contradicted myself, I'm figuring this out as I'm typing.

I'm glad you brought this up, my daughter and I were just talking about it the other day and we came to the conclusion that cemetaries probably aren't haunted but people just think they are because so many bodies are laying only 6 feet below the ground we walk on.

Kira

[Crone]

I've always thought that there were spirits at cemeteries for a couple of reasons. In my family, my ancestors have tended to be buried in groups. Both of my parents, two grandparents and a great grandparent are all together. In another cemetery, there are at least 15 of my relatives in one area. I think spirits remain because they can be close to their loved ones, and it gives them comfort.

The other reason is that the graveside services themselves bring together the love of those that are left behind. All that love put together is so powerful, that it must create a beautiful atmosphere for our departed loved ones to reside in.

[Kira]

Oh yes, see I didn't think of that Crone. But why then are the living so afraid when they are there?

[CaveRat2]

I generally avoid cemeteries as locations to investigate. I see no indication that activity is any more there than any neutral location. What I have seen in the times I have gone with others is their expectation to encounter something. I feel this may lead to a situation where they tend to see what they want to see, not neccessarily what is. Thus I am not overly enthusiastic about research done under those conditions.

Also I don't feel spirits just hang around. Rather I feel, aside from demonic and possible alien entities, there are two other explanations that might apply. First are residuals, the second are visiting spirits. In the case of residuals, I would expect that to apply more frequently to areas where the person visited frequently or lived. A cemetery would generally not fit that condition.

And if a spirit were visiting, or bringing a message to someone living, then again the cemetery likely would not be best place for it to encounter the one it is attempting to visit unless that person just happened to be in the cemetery at the time.

For these reasons I would not put a cemetery high on the list of likely haunted areas. Occassionally for sure, but not as likley as other sites.

[Atropa belladonna]

Great input!

I do tend to lean toward believing I am far less likely to encounter a spirit in a grave yard.

I would guess there are some cases that do exist, but think the majority is brought on by the observer expecting see something, so they do.
I have never seen a truly convincing program or photographs proving a spirit or spirits are lingering in a grave yard.

I can understand the "creep" factor, and how easy it is to get a group of people frightened, especially in the dark.
I think a big part of the fear associated with night time investigations or even just people trying to get a thrill, is that humans are not adapted to the dark. Yes we can light up the nights, yes we can over come fear impulses. But our scene of sight is so limited in the night. We can't see what we are hearing so invariably our imaginations can skew the idea of what may be lurking.
I think it is a natural survival instinct held over from when we could as easily be the hunted as we were hunters. Now combine that with the open space of a grave yard, no cover, no protection.
Just something to ponder.

M

[CaveRat2]

I should add to my previous posting that I agree regarding the "creep factor". Consider as you walk through there you are in close proximity to all those human bodies in various stages of decay. Death is an unknown to us so how do we know what influence they may have.... The mists often seen over a dark field at night is one thing, but here we have the dead as well..... The sounds of night add to the suspense. Plus to know that one day we too will end up here..... Not to mention we've all read the stories and seen the movies of what goes on in cemeteries haven't we?

So yeah, for the scare factor, visit the local cemetery. Besides others have talked of what they've experienced there and you KNOW it's haunted......

[Sheepbelly]

Like AnnieV sayd at the beginning, "spirits might be attatched to their bodies". I've heard that a lot of people (who are dead) stick around because they are staying with what they know. Even though the body might not be essential anymore in the conventional sense, it's still theirs... they spent a lot of time working with it, it could be like getting rid of a good hat or moving to another house and pining for your old backyard. It might be sort of like graduating school, a lot of people miss it and the experiences and the youthfulness... theoretically; personally, I was relieved when I got the hell outta' dodge!

[meesha]

When I was just reading what Atropa wrote about being able to get people scared in the dark, I immediately envisioned a group of boy scouts on their campout. We are troop leaders, and when those kids get started, it is a free for all! There are things coming out of the woods, the water, and each other! The spoken word is truly powerful and we can talk ourselves into believing almost anything. I think you need to be able to feel. Feeling emotions is what sets us apart from the insects...ya know?
I have always been drawn to cemeteries, since I was a little girl. I find them interesting; the thought of who is there, who they were when they were alive. I also delight in some of the ornate headstones and beautiful scenery (depending upon which one you visit).
Could there possibly be energy that each spirit derives from another? I would think that is a possibility. Maybe there is a large entity of energy that resides in the cemetery and each spirit adds to it. Because when you pass on, doesn't your body just expire, not your spirit? Interesting topic.

Edited by meesha, 11 July 2008 - 12:17 AM.

[outsider39]

I have a few stories to tell you about ghosts at cemeteries.A few years ago when we had some photos developed that we had taken at a cemetery,a little girl's face showed up in one of the photos.We went back to the cemetery and found that the face of the little girl was just above the tombstone of a little girl that had recently been buried.We were able to find her parents and showed them the picture.The parents immediately identified the girl in the picture as their daughter.They said that she was only six years old when she died and that she just loved to pose for pictures.Even after she died she still liked being in pictures.We have found the faces of other people that were dead in some of our photos,also.Over the years I have found that you are much more likely to see ghosts in cemeteries on busy days such as Saturday and Sunday afternoons and on holidays such as Mother's day and Christmas .It seems that ghosts and spirits in cemeteries come out when there are crowds around.Now when I go to the cemeteries on busy visiting days at them,I use a camcorder to capture everyone that is visiting the cemetery at that time.I also take photos of kids that I see wandering around the cemetery.Often I will find that not all of the visitors leave,the ones that stay behind are the ones that are buried there.I guess some spirits for one reason or another still enjoy the company of humans and know that if they stay around a cemetery they will see some of their relatives come to visit their graves and the graves of other people.Perhaps their homeplaces have been destroyed and many of their other favorite places to visit are no longer around either.I never visit cemeteries at night any more.