"Hey Ghost, Can I check your I.D. Please?"

So my Son and I were talking last night. Nothing like a 10 year old's perspective on the paranormal. He simply asked me, "Do Ghosts age?". After he went to bed, that question really got the brain firing. My son's inquiry was regarding a family member of ours who recently committed suicide in his bedroom.

So he asks: " Dad, will Christopher look the same as a ghost?"

It really chewed at my reasoning.

I replied: " What do you mean?"

(quote): "Is he going to be a teenager for the rest of his ghost life, or will he get older?"

Good Question. Crazy question I have never thought about. So I ask ATS:

DO spirits when they manifest themselves physically, do they retain, or ARE (committed) to the "form" that moment when they "died"? Is a small child who passed away (for whatever reason they remain in THIS world) Is she to be seen as a small child for the duration of her "stay"?

What if I myself, had a "nasty" zit right on my forehead prior to my death. Would I manifest with that "zit" on my forehead every time?

Do I have a conscience as a "ghost", that I am "dead" ? Would I manifest visually with that "zit", or choose to manifest at a time I "looked better"?

What about the 95 year old widow that passes away in a house? Will she manifest as a "wrinkley old bat, or perhaps something from her youth when she looked a little "better"? Can she change her appearance?

Sooooooo many questions. The questions a child asks....

I could apply this to "Heaven", if you believe.

"What would we look like to each other in Heaven?" An eternal "child" if death came at that time, or a "sucked up withered body that suffered and died from Cancer"??

If I lost an arm in combat, would I be the "one armed spooky man" my relatives might see?

Any and ALL responses I would appreciate. Forgive my "writing skills".....I am way more an individual that would prefer a physical conversation in front of a good fire.....

SO, if I could I would "card" a ghost and ask how old they are.....in regards to this post's title...

Good questions, and something I've always wondered about too.

I'd imagine the person in question may have some kind of input into how they appear, but then again there's so definitive way of knowing really I suppose.

Should have some interesting responses though.

With so much going "on" in this world, it is no surprise I get no repsonses.

Is there ANYONE who could answer this?

It's like the whole Star Wars (Return of the Jedi re-mastered) Question...why does Anakin/ Darth "manifest" as the younger "Hayden"....(the Ewok bonfire) with the "Yoddies, and Obi "Juan"..

Versus the 80's version?? Why did they change that?

I at least think this is a good topic.

I would think that it depends on what these "ghosts" actually are.

If they are just impressions left on the environment just just somehow continue to "play" over and over again, as some would say, then it would appear at the age when the impression was created -- like a photograph or a video recording.

If they are demons masquerading as a deceased person, then they could appear to be at whatever age or level of maturity that was needed to fulfill their purpose with whom they interact.

If they are truly people who have died but are otherwise still interacting in the currrent world, I would think that they would have some ability to adjust their appearance to whatever they want -- assuming that they are aware that they are no longer alive in the sense that they have a physical body.

Of course, more than one situation may apply.

No, you can't check my I.D.

reply to post by theAmericanStory


Human spirits have residual self image, they usually retain whatever image they died with. That will not change until Resurrection day. Some of us christians theorize everyone will be resurrected at the age of 33 the same age Christ was resurrected at.

The ghosts of the nephilim (demons) are not fully human, so many of them appear as dark masses of energy or "shadow people".

It is a very interesting question.
But really, how much proof do we really have that they even exist?
(I do personally believe though)

Just my guess:
I would think they could appear how they "see" themselves. Meaning, that if they were younger, in their teens, that's how they would manifest. Whereas maybe an 80 year old woman may show herself in her 30's or 40's.

If I died tomorrow and could manifest myself it will be from 10 years ago (sans the beer gut) although my 2 year old would not recognize me....could that be why? Would you recognize your Grandmother at 18 years old versus the last time you may have seen her? How about your own parents? would Grammy be a "hag" or appear as she did in your parent's childhood (oven mitt, smock, and all?)

reply to post by theAmericanStory


Hi. Don't you love the things kids come up with? I can only reply from my own experience in a NDE. First of all i discovered that there is an order to all things beyond this plane or level of existence and that I did not run the show. When I had that most grand reunion with friends and loved ones, I felt just like I did at my fittest when I was 22 even though I was a little older. Those I saw were also at their best, but appeared to me in the way I would most easily recognize them, except that they were without blemish or physical impairment of any kind. They were spirits who only donned a physical appearance for the purpose of being recognized.

I was greeted by someone whom I did not recognize at first, a girl who seemed to be my own age. Her name meant nothing to me until we both found ourselves together for a moment at age six in front of where she used to live. (I had not known her long and moved away shortly afterwards, but I did like her and was so happy she remembered me.) When I asked how and when she died, she said she was killed in a car accident at age 11.

So no need to worry about yer beer gut in a ghostly form. If it's meant to be that you can be seen by him, it will be so.

I have read that Entities can show themselves in any form they choose.....I cannot be certain of course but according to this book I mention (can`t remember the title though) if a spirit would show himself as a disfigured person (died is a fire or something) and it scares the person viewing him.....it could reappear in a different shape to prevent scaring you......now is this accurate? I have no clue but I think it is possible.

Now do they age? THAT sir is a VERY good question...Now the little hamster in my head is getting a hellova workout. Great question I must admit!!

Im thinking about it hard and if I come up with something I will post it here.

I'm not sure any person alive can answer your questions. So for the sake of #'s and giggles I'll answer anyways. I can Only see three outcomes for this "logically'. The first is that we all have an image of ourselves. Our self image, could be the shape we take when we pass. Esentially you as you remember it. The second is that the energy manifistation that appears as a ghost could hold the same structure as our physical bodies when we pass. The third Is that we look completly different from what we did when we were living, In essence our body is a different physical shape than our soul. That our soul has it's own form and we look completly different as a physical manifestation than we do as a spiritual one.

As far as the aging goes I dont think that this is possible. As physics teaches us something that has no mass is unafected by time and space. Therefore if aging is simply a characteristic of spending to much time on this earth than I don't think that a soul can "age".

Nobody can take their physical body along with them, it falls apart at death into many pieces which are just impossible to grab and glue back together. In the afterlife the inner is much more important, what truths the soul has collected during it's construction which manifest after the transition. The closer to the truth the more beautiful, the further away, the more wrinkled looking stale souls holding on to their false perceptions about life and everything.

going by what have seen over the years they keep the appearance they had in life and dont appear to age ... must admit always bothers me more when see childrens ghosts than when see adult ghosts ....

Firstly, I am very sorry to hear that a young relative of yours committed suicide. Your family must be devastated. My sincere condolences go out to you all.

When you said: 'My son's inquiry was regarding a family member of ours who recently committed suicide in his bedroom.' - did you mean the family member committed suicide in their own bedroom or your son's bedroom?

In answer to your question about how ghosts might present themselves, from my experience it has been in the form that I recognise and remember them the best.

Aelf

Originally posted by theAmericanStory
So my Son and I were talking last night. Nothing like a 10 year old's perspective on the paranormal. He simply asked me, "Do Ghosts age?". After he went to bed, that question really got the brain firing. My son's inquiry was regarding a family member of ours who recently committed suicide in his bedroom.

So he asks: " Dad, will Christopher look the same as a ghost?"

It really chewed at my reasoning.

I replied: " What do you mean?"

(quote): "Is he going to be a teenager for the rest of his ghost life, or will he get older?"

Good Question. Crazy question I have never thought about. So I ask ATS:

DO spirits when they manifest themselves physically, do they retain, or ARE (committed) to the "form" that moment when they "died"? Is a small child who passed away (for whatever reason they remain in THIS world) Is she to be seen as a small child for the duration of her "stay"?

What if I myself, had a "nasty" zit right on my forehead prior to my death. Would I manifest with that "zit" on my forehead every time?

Do I have a conscience as a "ghost", that I am "dead" ? Would I manifest visually with that "zit", or choose to manifest at a time I "looked better"?

What about the 95 year old widow that passes away in a house? Will she manifest as a "wrinkley old bat, or perhaps something from her youth when she looked a little "better"? Can she change her appearance?

Sooooooo many questions. The questions a child asks....

I could apply this to "Heaven", if you believe.

"What would we look like to each other in Heaven?" An eternal "child" if death came at that time, or a "sucked up withered body that suffered and died from Cancer"??

If I lost an arm in combat, would I be the "one armed spooky man" my relatives might see?

Any and ALL responses I would appreciate. Forgive my "writing skills".....I am way more an individual that would prefer a physical conversation in front of a good fire.....

SO, if I could I would "card" a ghost and ask how old they are.....in regards to this post's title...

reply to post by aboutface


Very moving account of an NDE. All the ideas put forward are interesting. For my own two cent I would say:

1)The concept of time on the "other side" does not resemble our linear one (which does not even hold true now thanks to Einstein).
2)Earth-bound spirits are stuck for whatever reason.
3)Free spirits appearing in a matter suitable to whom they intend to appear to. For example, your grandfather wants to worn you about something (a possible sickness) and appears haggard and old with thin knees. This differs on how he appeared in a previous dream as young and healthy (before you got a new job).
4)Impressions of the past that fade over time.
5)Also, and never to be excluded unless evidence warrants it: they are projections of our subconcious mindn and their age reflects our concerns.

Just my thoughts....

A few years ago, I was living in an old apartment building in a bad neighbourhood. It was a very violent area, with drugs and prostitutes. I had started studying Shamanism and the Occult in general. One night, I stayed up very late. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I was in that semi-awake semi-asleep state when I looked up to my left side a few hours later. I saw a young girl standing there, maybe 10-11. She was wearing an old fashioned night gown. She had blonde hair that hung just below her ears. She was pale. She didn't move or speak. She just stood there, looking at me. And she wasn't happy about it at all.

Being half asleep, I shrugged it off, rolled over and fell back asleep. It wasn't until I was fully awake that afternoon when I realized what I had seen. She had looked like a normal kid - no bruises, blood or other injuries on her body. And yes she was in full body - not an apparition.

That night I performed a full cleansing on my apartment and laid off the meditations for awhile. Never saw her again.

I know of situations where someone that died of old age appears as a child.
My theory is that ghost can appear as they were when they were most happy, or appear in different ways to different people, depending on how they would be most familiar to that person.

There is no such thing as ghosts.

reply to post by McCool


That's your belief. There are lots of others who do believe. Unless you have something constructive to say, don't bother responding. Your comment adds no value to the discussion at hand. You have your beliefs, we have ours.

I think the after life is a version of this life here, but with more thought power and less matter. Let's call it a higher frequency.

Entropy must surely exist there also, but maybe way slower. So yes ghosts age but who would notice? On the one hand the aging is slow and on the other hand they can change their appearance because of what I call thought power due to a lack of a better word.