The Difference Between Ghosts, Earthbounds And Crossed-Over Spirits
Updated 2025.05.19
Ghosts and Earthbounds VS Spirit - There are Spirits, and then there are Ghosts.
Two different players in the game, both without physical bodies, but very different in essence.
What is the difference?
Why does it matter? Which types of Spirits do mediums connect and work with?
Ghosts are the more glamorized group.
They are what is portrayed in film, and these portrayals can be quite sensational.
The Spirits I deal with are often far-less dramatic or chaotic.
They are loving, supportive, sweet and caring relatives, friends and neighbors . . . and far less commonly talked about.
Let’s explore the differences below.
What are Ghosts?
Ghosts are energy masses that have not left the physical realm once their time in their physical body was complete.
A ghost can be any residual energy lingering in a space after whatever created it, has gone.
It’s a catchall phrase for a lingering energy that’s non-physical, though it typically refers to a deceased loved one that no one specifically knows or is attached to.
Ghosts can be from people who are still alive, and have left the space, but their energy has stayed.
This is why in love songs, you often hear about the ghost of someone who is no longer there - it's their energy that is still lingering - and it's a very real phenomena.
This is sometimes called an “attachment.”
Oftentimes, ghosts create a heavy, dense feeling in a space, because they are so closely tied to earth.
They also draw upon the energy in the physical to manifest, so they draw energy from the space.
If you walk into a space and suddenly feel like a heavy blanket, thickness or sadness has descended, there is a good chance a ghost is with you - a remnant energy from a previous emotional event, or a human being.
Ghostly energy is usually on the heavier side as they have not ascended to Heaven/The Other Side, so they don’t have access to Divine Light Energy which gives some Spirit energies a more uplifted.
All ghosts feel dense.
The more closely tied to the earth a human ghost or how recent the event, determines the level of denseness, or powerful, the energy in the space.
Ghosts, both human and residual energy, can communicate with you through images, pictures, and sensations.
What is an Earthbound Spirit?
An Earthbound Spirit is a ghost that is human; it’s a type of ghost.
These ghosts have died, left their physical bodies, and did not take the immediate opportunity to cross over into the Light.
This opportunity is presented to all Spirits, in the event of the loss of their physical body, and most Spirits, immediately take this opportunity and move into the Light.
They transcend to Heaven or The Other Side, whichever you call it, both terms refer to the same place.
When a ghost is Earthbound, this person’s Spirit has decided to not leave Earth right away, usually due to fear or a misunderstanding of the Afterlife process.
They remain tied to Earth, hence the name “earth bound.”
Earthbound Spirits, because they are human and don’t have access to a Divine Light Energy Source until they cross over, need human energy to exist in their state, so many Earthbound Spirits are found in places with many people.
Without a renewable energy supply, travelling far from their last known earthly location is very difficult.
Homes, cities, downtown areas and busy roads are typical places for them.
They can also be found in places where people have made their earthly exits - battlefields, cemeteries, funeral homes, hospitals, even specific rooms of buildings where people have passed away.
Are Earthbound Spirits malicious and mean-spirited?
It's not common.
It is more likely that an Earthbound Spirit is a well-meaning human who is afraid, confused or undecided on their next steps, not necessarily someone with evil intent.
Earthbound Spirits typically project a heavy, but also nervous, anxious and afraid feeling. Some feel Earthbound Spirits are cold or chilling - as they often draw on your heat (energy) to sustain themselves.
Remember: if you enter a known haunted space and you pick up on these vibes, it’s most likely their energy, worry, concern and fear you are picking up on, rather than your own.
When seeing Spirit with your mind’s eye, Earthbound Spirits often have a grey look to them. To me, they look like a human silhouette, rather than a glowing being.
What is a Spirit?
A Spirit is any being or energy that is fully in the Light, and existing in the Realm of Spirit.
Spirits can be loved ones on The Other Side, Angels, Spirit Guides, Ascended Masters - any non-physical energy in the Divine Light/Heaven.
Spirits use Spiritual Energy to communicate with humans, which is infinite, so you can have a continuous relationship with these beings, including loved ones now in the Light.
Of all persons that die, most of them cross into the Light right away and like all Spirits there, they are surrounded in and with love, compassion, understanding and grace.
Thus, the presence of a Spirit feels good, tingly, warm, and exciting.
Imagine…
Receiving tingles from a gentle back or head scratch
Feeling butterflies as you eagerly anticipate something you’ll enjoy
Being filled with warmth as you drink a satisfying cup of tea in winter
These good feelings usually accompany the presence of Spirit energy.
This positive feeling is the main difference between sensing an Earthbound Spirit and a Spirit in “the Light.”
Many people don’t realize the presence of their own deceased loved ones for this reason - it feels good and there’s no sense of unfamiliarity or alarm.
Usually we only ‘notice’ that which doesn’t feel good - which is why many believe Ghosts and Earthbound Spirits get a bit more media attention.
Between Ghosts, Earthbounds and Spirit in the Light, I prefer the latter energies the most, though I know that you clear ghostly and earthbound energies from a space using the techniques on this blog.
For more information on the different types of Spirit energies, check out The Spirit Identification Key!
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