Spirit Orbs

Several theories emerge to explain orbs. Are they representations of human spirits in the form of energy balls, or are they more wondrous than a mere human ghost?

Read on and decide for yourself what you believe!

About Spirit Orbs

When investigating paranormal activity, investigators snap photos using basic digital or standard 35mm cameras. The resulting pictures often present orbs. Since 1996, the amount and variety of spirit orbs captured by investigators has increased significantly since the widespread use of digital cameras. While orbs did appear on traditional film, the plethora of orbs captured by digital cameras leaves believers defending this phenomenon. Many skeptics claim that the rise in orb phenomena so neatly coincides with the advent of digital photography that it’s impossible to take orbs seriously, believing they may be the result of the equipment's own machinery. Others aren’t so sure.

Ghost Orbs

Paranormal believers theorize that spirit orbs represent the energy patterns of ghost or entities. Each orb may contain the energy of one or more entities. They believe spirits manifest as glowing spheres of gold, green, blue or crimson light. Believers draw conclusions from the size and color of spirit orbs too.

Believers point to the predominance of orbs in photos of supposedly haunted places. However, a careful study comparing the number of orb photographs taken at supposedly haunted places and the quantity of orbs photographed at random locations has never been completed. It would be very interesting indeed to see what such a study would yield!

True ghost hunters never take great quantities of orbs in photographs as proof of the paranormal. They carefully study each picture, dismissing any that are questionable. Even among the photos they feel genuinely represent orbs, few use orbs alone to substantiate claims of paranormal activity. Orbs lend credence, but in and of themselves they are not used as evidence to support claims of a haunting.

Angelic Beings?

Many people think that spirits orbs are visible representations of angels. Believers in this camp note a predominance of orbs at special family gatherings, worship services or in spiritual places. For example, many photographs of weddings show orbs over the bride and/or groom. Do these photos depict dust kicked up by a vigorous “Macarena” danced at the reception, or the guardian angels of the happy couple protecting and blessing the union? Photos taken during worship services frequently show golden orbs on or near the clergy, participants or depictions of deities and holy people. Believers often take these appearances as proof that the light visible in each photograph is indeed an angel.

Christians, Jews, Muslims and followers of many of the world’s leading religions believe in angels. Angels depicted in the scriptures of many faiths conjure images of beings of light. Many ancient religious texts describe angels in terms of light, or as beings of light. Many people believe that now, in our troubled times, angels or angelic spirits sent to protect us manifest as orbs.

Spirit Guides

Yet another theory proposes that orbs depict our spirit guides. Many ancient traditions teach that spirit guides are beings that have evolved beyond the need to incarnate. Our higher self chooses our guide to help us through life. Spirit guides provide comfort, advice and direction to individuals, all in keeping with an individual's higher purpose. Guides appear in such disparate traditions as Gnostic Christianity, Native American spirituality and Eastern religions.

Believers in the spirit guide theory of orb activity hope that the many orbs photographed around people represent their spirit guides. Guides rarely appear in corporeal form, choosing instead to communicate through meditation and dreams. People who believe the spirit guide theory of orbs hope that they have somehow glimpsed and recorded their unique guide using modern technology.

In the Future

As photography improves and paranormal researchers use new techniques and equipment, investigators may yet definitively answer the question, “What are orbs?” Until then, it’s amusing to entertain one or more of the many theories that abound around orb activity.

Who’s to say which theory is right or wrong?