Places can be haunted in several ways, although the most common conception of a haunted place involves the spirit of someone who has died, but who has not crossed over. I call these "earth-bound spirits." There are many reasons why a spirit may remain stuck here instead of crossing over, including:

• They died in a sudden or traumatic way.
• They died in their sleep and do not realize that they are dead.
• They cannot or will not let go of this lifetime, possibly because of strong beliefs, such as the belief that there was no afterlife.
• In some cases, they may be "held back" by another spirit whom they believe has power over them. (Like Dorothy, they have their ruby slippers and can cross whenever they want to.)

When a spirit is earth-bound, it retains the personality and all of the emotional baggage and ego of the life that just ended. When it crosses the veil and returns home to Light, or Source, this baggage can be shed and healed. But when a spirit remains stuck here, it cannot heal.

Most earth-bound spirits stay only a short time before they return to the Light, but some can remain for decades if they are not helped. In most cases, the spirit (or "ghost" in this sense) is a harmless presence. Some spirits have a sense of humor and play practical jokes, such as opening a door you had just closed. But some spirits were angry in life, and they're still angry in death.

A haunting spirit or entity is usually first encountered when someone moves into a house or goes to a new workplace. Change can stir up a spirit, and if the new inhabitants start to make physical changes to the house or building, the spirit may well protest and make its displeasure known. Contact with the spirit may be minimal or fleeting at first, but if it is angry or dark, things can escalate.

If a place where you live or frequent is troubled by an earth-bound spirit or entity, it must be cleared. It will be better for you, and others, and ultimately for the spirit itself. This is the compassionate course, allowing them to continue their journey.

Getting a priest or anyone else to bless or smudge your house is not enough to clear it. You'll only amuse the spirit or, worse, make it angry. Once the place has been cleared, you can bless and smudge to your heart's content.

Of course, earth-bound spirits only make up a portion of all hauntings. Entities, or non-human spirits, also attach themselves to places—and people. Usually, when an entity arrives, it has been summoned in some way.

Next in this series:  Hauntings by entities

Related articles:

• Hauntings:  How entities come into our world
• Clearing a haunted space
• Returning to Light:  What happens when we cross over
• We are One:  All of our past lives