I have a line of thinking on this. Just an idea I had going to possibly explain hauntings. Everyone has an aura. This is part of the energy field generated by the body. This energy is also more than likely what we call our spirit. But could this be a separate part of us from our soul? When we die our soul could cross over. And most of the time our aura/spirit just dissipates and merges with the energy of the universe. But sometimes there could be a strong enough cohesion of the energy which makes up the spirit to hold it together after the soul moves on. And this energy would have a memory of it's creator. Sometimes this energy imprints into an area and becomes what we call a residual haunting. An event replaying over and over like a recording. And sometimes the energy retains a base intelligence. Forming an entity with no real direction. Lost and confused as to what it is. This could explain why entities involved in the average haunting bang, knock, scratch, slam doors, etc. And why entities attach to a person, kind of like a pet does. And also why they are territorial. This could be why EVPs are just fragments of sentences or growls. The main intelligence has moved on. These things want attention, but lack any kind of true ability to communicate.

The rare cases where real intelligence is shown could be situations where the actual soul has remained or returned.

So what are everyone's thoughts on this idea.

Wow, I don't know what to say, I'm going to have to ponder on this too. Has anyone seen Fear Dot Com the movie? With the spirit of the girl and how she wanted to be found, so she could get revenge on her killer and then be in peace? I've heard of people dying of a unnatural death (murder) and haunting the place where they died

I know what you mean but I have a little difficulty with an aura or energy having intelligence. If the soul moves on then it is just a form of matter left behind.
I too will have to think on this one but GOOD POSTING Bobby. I just wish I wasn't here at work so I could deal with this now.

 

That is what I mean. It is not truly intelligent. More like on the level of a dog or cat. Basic intelligence but not capable of much more than that. Hence the knocking and door slamming. Just enough left over to move about, move objects, and latch on to someone like a pet does. But not think like a human.

Last night I was trying to think of how this happens but then I realised I really don't know enough on entities and spirits to even comment on this. I get to scientific and I should know better. Things on this level don't really care about science 
So I will just read and learn from the experts 

I see the spirit and soul as one. The soul being the immortal being of a person and the spirit is the drive of the soul. I hope that makes sense. So at death the soul/spirit withdraws and continues to function in the spiritual world. Can the spirit separate from the soul to act out the past? And maybe somehow travel through space and perceive and interpret vibrations and waves in the air replaying any positive or negative energies left behind in an area familiar to it?
Yikes I hope I made sense   

Good answer Angela.

Close your ears Mel. Speaking scientifically, an energy based entity could break off pieces of itself. Leaving a piece in this world and the rest moving on to the next.

I never thought of it in that way and unfamilar with that idea. Could you explain the breaking off peices of itself? It's just something I've never thought of or don't think I've heard that theory.

First let me apologize to Mel. My post came across disrespectfully to her beliefs. It was unintentional.

Ok this is an idea that struck me reading Angela's and Mel's posts. Energy based entities would not be bound by the same limitations as a human. Theoretically an energy based entity would be able to break off some of it's energy from the whole and leave it. and the piece would retain everything that makes the entity unique. All knowledge and memories. So while the main of the soul moves on, a part of it remains here on Earth with full memories and intelligence. But maybe not enough energy to fully manifest, ie a shadow ghost.

Or the soul retains full control of the piece that is here from where ever the soul goes. And the soul experiences everything the piece that is left behind does. And the soul uses the piece to communicate and interact here on Earth.

My thinking is energy based entities can exist while leaving a part of themselves behind.

Yeah you are on the right page. A piece of the energy gets imprinted, or left behind. But it is not like a residual haunting where an event plays over and over like a video loop. But instead is an active, intelligent entity. It could even be a protective mechanism for the soul. The pain and tragedy are left here so that the soul can be at peace. But there is enough of the soul left for the piece to take on a life of it's own. And begins haunting the place it is in.

Ok, so my first post I made wasn't totally far off. I was starting to wonder if it was, then I saw Melissa's post and it is pretty much what I was thinking, except mine involved seeking revenge instead of replaying the same thing over and over.