©2011 Bradley F. Maurer & The NQPRG

An examination of Dr. Holzers’ writings on the nature of Ghosts, Spirits, and “Stay Behinds” and his view of Religion being derived from our paranormal view.

“From closed-minded skeptics to would be believers, from Hollywood Horror movies to Casper the Ghost, there is a great deal of misinformation and foolish fantasy floating around as to what ghosts are and, of course, whether or not they exist.”--Dr. Hans Holzer

So, what exactly is a ghost?

"A ghost is a human being who has passed out of the physical body, usually in a traumatic state and is not aware usually of his true condition. We are all spirits encased in a physical body. At the time of passing, our spirit body continues into the next dimension. A ghost, on the other hand, due to trauma, is stuck in our physical world and needs to be released to go on.“--Dr. Hans Holzer

“Ghosts, by their very nature, are not unlike psychotics in the flesh, they are quite unable to fully understand their own predicament. They are kept place, both in time and space, by their emotional ties to the spot. Nothing can pry them loose from it so long as they are reliving over and over again in their minds leading to their unhappy deaths”—Hans Holzer

“…Try as man might ghosts can’t be explained away, nor will they disappear. They continue to appear frequently all over the world, to young and old, to rich and poor,, in old houses and in new, on airports and in streets, and where ever tragedy strikes man. For indeed ghosts are nothing more or nothing less than a human being trapped by special circumstances in this world while already being of the next. Or to put it another way, a human being whose spirit is unable to leave the earthly surroundings because of unfinished business or emotional entanglements.”—Douglas Hill, Paranormal Researcher.

•Apparitions of “dead” people or sounds associated with invisible human beings•The surviving emotion memories of people who have not been able to make the transition from their physical state to into the world of the spirit•There state is one of emotional shock induced by sudden death or great suffering•The individuals involved do not understand what is happening to them•They are unable to see beyond their own environment or problem•They are forced to relive these moments of agony until someone explains things to them

•Man’s electromagnetic nature make this make this perfectly plausible•Our personal personality in only our personal energy field encased in a denser out layer called the physical body•The personality can store emotional stimuli and memories indefinitely without dimming—like a recording that can be played over and over without losing clarity or volume•Those who die normally under conditions of adjustment need not go through this agony•They go to next stare of consciousness—”Heaven” or “Hell” depending on their mental state at the time of death

•Heaven and Hell are not objective places, but are substantive states of being•The sum total of states of being may create a semi-objective condition or “place” along more orthodox religious lines•Ghosts or Earth-bound spirits are confused individuals unable to leave the earthly plain

Holzer worked with trance mediums that allowed him to communicate directly with the spirits and concluded: “Here, again, the parallel with psychoanalysis becomes apparent: In telling their tales of woe, the restless ones relieve themselves of their pressures and anxieties, thus releasing them from their earthly bonds.” --Hans Holzer

“If fear is the absence of information, as I have always held, then knowledge is indeed the presence of understanding. Or view it the other the way around if you prefer “--Hans HolzerDuring a typical investigation you will probably not find paranormal activity but if you do: You probably have some mediumistic tendencies and have the ability to channel disincarnate spiritsThere is nothing mystical about ESP or the ability to experience ghostly activity

“Ghost are more common than most people realize and are really quite natural and harmless.”--Hans Holzer

•Ghosts are neither supernatural or unnatural•They fit into the general pattern of the universe that we live in•There are extraordinary circumstances that surround a death•These circumstances create what is popularly known as ghost•Psychical research shows that a ghost appears to a surviving emotional memory of someone who died traumatically and, usually, tragically

•A few ghosts may realize that they are dead, but are confused to where they are or why they feel differently•A ghost may have lived or worked in a place for a very long time and developed routines. A sudden death might lead to a shock that will cause the ghost to continue these routines•Unwilling to part with the physical world, human entities stay on in the very spot that the tragedy or trauma occurred •Ghost do not travel or follow people•They can appear in more than one location

•Apparitions of the dead can travel and appear to several people in various locations—these are not ghosts in the strictest sense.•They are Free Spirits or Discarnate Entities•They are attracted to a place in space in time emotionally•They wish to communicate with some one on the earth plane

Dr. Holzer’s comments on skeptics and scoffers

Scoffers like to cut investigators and witnesses to ghostly encounters down to size—their size

They say witnesses are:

•Unbalanced mentally•Sick people that hallucinate a lot•Were tired that day•Blame a reflection from [Name your light source]•In final desperation, they will admit that something happened but the witness probably exaggerated the event

1. Ghosts2. Sprits3. “Stay Behinders”4. Poltergeists

Dr. Holzer classified spirits and ghosts into four categories

Today, Modern Paranormal Researchers have classified Spirits and Ghosts into seven categories

1. Apparitions, disembodied spirit2. Dopplegangers3. Ectoplasm4. Ghost lights5. Poltergeist6. Shadow ghosts / dark entities

These will be discussed in turn

Ghosts

•Ghosts are neither supernatural or unnatural•They fit into the general pattern of the universe that we live in•There are extraordinary circumstances that surround a death•These circumstances create what is popularly known as ghost•Psychical research shows that a ghost appears to a surviving emotional memory of someone who died traumatically and, usually, tragic

Spirits

•Ghosts and Spirits are NOT the same•Ghosts are similar to psychotic human beings, incapable of reasoning for themselves or taking much action.•Spirits are capable of continuing a full existence in the next dimension•Spirits are the surviving personalities of all of us•A spirit can think, act , and feel, unlike a ghost•A ghost relives the past, a spirit experiences the present•Earth-bound spirits are called Ghosts•Free Spirits are in full possession of all mental and emotional faculties

“Stay Behinders”

•The ghost personality is generally in various stages of psychotic condition--otherwise they would move on. •The stay behind is someone who lived in one place for a very long time, and usually dies a gentle death; they just fall asleep, no violence, no pain. •They are unused to any other place, partially because their religious belief has primed them to believe Hosanna with angels wings on their back, or in some cases, fellows in red underwear with pitch forks, would take them away. Lo and behold, at death, they're still where they were before. •The physical body isn't there - but there's a body and they see themselves, so they stay put.

Poltergeists

The word poltergeist comes from the German words polter ("to make noise") and Geist ("ghost"), and the term itself literally means "noisy ghost".

Poltergeist ActivityThe phase of a haunting when the entity is capable of producing physical effects, such as the movement of objects

This is a very different definition than is in current use!

•Appear in transparent human form and wear the clothing of their period. Normally appear faint and disfigured as in being incomplete. Apparitions have been known to hold conversations with people and even interact, but then will suddenly disappear•It has been reported that certain odors have been smelled prior, during, and after the sighting of an apparition.

Disembodied Spirits/Apparitions

•May hear voices, music, footsteps, etc. Smell odors which sources cannot be found (i.e. pipe tobacco when no one smokes).•Considered an earthbound spirit stuck here for reasons such as tragic sudden �death, fear of moving on, guilt or unfinished business.•* Could also be here visiting loved ones or to warn or pass along a message.•These human spirits are the same as they were in life, so they may be good or bad, but not really evil

Actual image captured by a researcher of the NQPRG

investigative Team

•They will try to get your attention any way they can...many times terrifying the person by turning on and off lights, items moving, noises, etc.•These human spirits account for a majority of the haunting encountered and are relatively harmless. Yes, there are extreme cases and sometimes they can cause dangerous situations, but this is not the norm and is rare.•In haunted residences, the ghost may be just a prankster or maybe they want you to leave the old home or not to change something in the home. They have all the same motivations you and I would have.

Disembodied Spirits/Apparitions

Actual image of a US Civil War Soldier at the Gettysburg Historical Sight

captured by a researcher of the NQPRG investigative Team

Doppleganger

•Means "double goer" in German.•A ghost that is a perfect double, often appears to a family member at the moment of death.•Dopplegangers of people still living have been seen, this is possibly either a residual haunt in the making, or an example of bi-location•Reported as being solid or transparent •People have even claimed to see their own doppleganger, this is usually considered a death omen.

Ectoplasm

•Appears as a mist or fog, usually displaying a swirl effect within a vaporous cloud.•Normally appears several feet off the ground and can linger or travel quickly at will.•Usual colors are gray, white or black but has also been photographed in several other colors.•Has been caught on video and all types of cameras.•Speculated to be the soul or spirit � transforms to this vaporous state before appearing as a full-bodied apparition.

Ghost Lights

•Appear as white or blue balls or yellow spheres glowing in the darkness.•At some point acquired the Latin name �ignis fatuus�, meaning �foolish fire�, because it is considered foolish to try to follow or capture them.•According to some legends, the light of an ignis fatuus is the ghost of a sinner who is condemned to wander the world for eternity.•In Britain, it�s sometimes called the will-o�-wisp and is known to be a death omen.

Orbs, globules, balls of light

•Show up as luminous of light hovering above the ground. Sometimes show up as streaks of bright lights on camera if a long exposure was used.•True orbs give off their own light. Often confused with the "orbs" caught on digital cameras which are result of dust or moisture. (see Orbs Explained)•Speculated to be the soul or spirit travelling around in its most convenient state.

Actual image captured by a researcher of the NQPRG

investigative Team

Poltergeist

•A noisy spirit that can manipulate the environment around it.•Reported as being invisible.•Phenomena may be caused by a teenager unknowingly using psychokinesis.

Shadow Ghosts / Dark Entities•Appear as a shadow but with form.•Normally reported to be two feet in length or longer and tend to travel at a height of two to ten feet.•Usually sneaky and evasive.•Most often spotted in homes, and often spotted in mirrors

Actual image captured by a researcher of the NQPRG

investigative Team

“What was your first paranormal experience?” I asked.

“It’s not a question of whether I had experiences,” he said. “My interest has nothing to do with personal experiences. In other words, you don’t have to be an investigator to experience things first-hand.”

For Holzer, each case must withstand journalistic integrity, and journalism is just one of the many subjects he studied during his academic career. “I took ancient history and archaeology at the University of Vienna,” he said. In addition, I was a graduate of the Academy of Journalism in Vienna, which was a total waste of time. But I took it – it sounded nice. At the end, I studied at the London College of Applied Science which awarded me a master’s in comparative religion, and then a year later a Ph.D. with a specialty in parapsychology.”

“I’ve read you don’t like the term ‘supernatural’,” I said.

“I use the term because it is the one that people use,” Holzer said. “But nothing in my scientific view does not have an explanation. The question is, sooner we get it or later we get it, but there has to be an explanation. You can’t say nobody knows. I don’t accept that. And the paranormal is part of our experience – we just don’t always understand it as such.”

Eventually, we did get to speak about some of Holzer’s personal experiences. And while some people in this field of study have had personal experiences and believe that in itself makes them expert on knowing if a location is haunted, Holzer wants witnesses – several of them preferably, and the not-crazy kind.

“That’s why I want to know my witness,” he said. “I ask them, ‘Who are you? What do you do for a living?’ I interview the witnesses. If there is a crazy in front of me, I’ll know it.

We talked about the difference between a ghost or a spirit – how a ghost is a residual entity, like a psychic imprint left in an area that some people can pick up, whereas a spirit is intelligent and interactive. Holzer also mentioned a third category I hadn’t heard about before: the “stay behinds.”

“‘Stay behinds’ are relatively common,” he said. “Somebody dies, and then they’re really surprised that all of a sudden they’re not dead. They’re alive like they were. They don’t understand it because they weren’t prepared for it. So they go back to what they knew most – their chair, their room, and they just sit there. Next, they want to let people know that they’re still ‘alive.’ So they’ll do little things like moving things, appear to relatives, pushing objects, poltergeist phenomena, and so on.”

Dr. Holzer on Religion

Preparation for the after life is something most world religions devote their very existence to. Holzer believes all religions have some of it right in that they believe in a supreme power – a belief Holzer also holds.

“You have to understand, where I'm coming from, if it weren’t for parapsychology, religion wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. Because they have used what we call the facts of the paranormal to build their messages of faith. Religion works on faith and on belief and disbelief – you must do this and you must do that – that’s not where science comes from. Science gives the facts whether you like them or not, and you have to accept them or not accept them, but it’s not a question of belief or faith.”

“I am working on early Christianity as part of the research work, and I have come up with some very startling facts about early Christianity that differ markedly from what the Roman Catholic and even my own church are convinced of,” he said. “

“I’m not condemning all religions,” he said. “I’m condemning certain portions of it as being man-made and used solely for selfish purposes. There are some wonderful concepts in religion – Buddhism has a lot of good things, for instance. I think that spirituality is a personal thing unique to you. It doesn’t cost anything and it doesn’t take any effort. We should all have a spiritual concept of life.”

I asked him what we can expect to find waiting for us on the other side. His reply came without hesitation, and very matter-of-fact.

“We all pass out of the physical body and we are now on the other side of life. It’s a world just like this one – it has only two differences: there’s no sense of time, and if you’re ill when you die you’re now no longer ill. But other than that, you’ll find houses, trees, gardens, and your relatives, friends, and so on. It looks like a very real world. Maybe a little nicer, but still a normal, real world. And you are just the way you were before. Maybe a little bit younger-looking if you wish, but you’re still in a very real world.

Dr. Holzer on the ability of a spirit to interact with our dimension of existence

“You’ll notice that the other side of life is a bureaucracy just like this one. You can’t just call Uncle Frank [who’s still living]. You have to get permission from a group of people who call themselves guides – spirit guides. They will say, ‘Why do you want to make contact? What’s your purpose?’ And if they approve of it, they’ll say, ‘Okay, find yourself a medium somewhere, speak with them, and they will make contact for you.’ Or if you’re that strong, you can try to make contact yourself.”

Dr. Holzer on reincarnation

“And if you don’t like where you are after a while -- you may have a consciousness that you’ve been there a certain period and feel that you would rather be back on the other side with friends and loved ones. You’ll say, ‘I’d like to get reborn again.’ These are the words I got from them, they’re not my invention. They [the spirits] said you have to go to a line, and you have to register with the clerk. ‘Clerk’ is the word they used. So you get in line and register with the clerk that you want to go back. The clerk says, ‘Okay, I’ll let you know when I find an appropriate couple for you that will advance your development.’ They have no real sense of time, so they just stand there, and eventually the clerk will say, ‘I’ve got a couple for you.’

The idea is reincarnation. This concept has been a part of many religions and belief systems for millennia. Holzer continued with his ideas on how our physical and spirit bodies connect. “There’s three levels when you are born. You are born with a physical outer body, a duplicate inner body, and at the very moment of birth – that’s very important – the moment the child is supposed to see the light [during childbirth], that is when the soul or the spirit is inserted from the pool of available spirits from the other side. Therefore all this nonsense about abortion killing a child is pure lies, pure nonsense. The fetus, until the spirit of the child is inserted, is a physical part of the mother. It does not have any life – it’s not a separate entity.”

Paranormal investigative groups are popping up everywhere. More people are studying this field today than ever before, and Holzer has met many of them. “We are living in a technological age,” he said, “and they [paranormal investigators] think, or at least some of them that I’ve met, in all sincerity, that running around with geiger counters and cameras and instruments that can measure cold spots will be the way to investigate a haunting or a ghost. That’s bullshit. Because if you really are an investigator of the paranormal, and you’re dealing with ghosts or hauntings, you’re dealing with a human being – nothing more, nothing less. Therefore you should have with you a good trance medium who can lend her body or his body temporarily for that entity to speak through so you can find out what the trouble is. That’s the way it works – not a geiger counter.”

The one piece of equipment Holzer doesn’t completely dismiss is the camera. “I have worked with psychic photographers,” he said. “That’s a special form of mediumship. Psychic photography is a gift. Some have it. I’ve used these people in haunted places. When there was something there, they would photograph it.”

“Have you ever been afraid during an investigation?” I asked.“Fear is the absence of information,” he said. “Fear is created by not understanding something. You bring on the fear. There is no object to fear. I’ve never been afraid during an investigation. I shouldn’t be in this business if I was.

“There’s nothing out there that isn’t one way or the other human. Hollywood notwithstanding, there are no monsters out there. There is no other supernatural race, no devils, no fellows in red underwear. It doesn’t exist.”

"I'm a scientist and this does not mean 'to know,' it means 'to quest for knowledge,' " he clarifies. "It's never finite. It always keeps changing and moving and you learn new things. But you do have to have standards. And scientific standards preclude me from accepting some of these fantasies.“

"The other side tends to confirm what most religions teach," says Holzer. "If it weren't for the facts of parapsychology, religion wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Religion takes some of the evidence, which we know in parapsychology, and uses it for its own end--to distort the truth, to get people to obey. I'm not against organized religion, but spirituality is not religious; spirituality is a way of life. You don't need intermediaries for that."

Hans Holzer: I don't believe in anything. Belief is the uncritical acceptance of something you can't prove. I work on evidence; I either know or I don't know. There are three dirty words in my vocabulary: belief, disbelief and supernatural. They don't exist. There's no "supernatural world." Everything that exists is natural. Yet there is a dimension of existence that is as real as your living room, even if the average person cannot access it with all their senses?

I coined the phrase "the other side" because it really is the other side, like one side of the mirror. The spirit world, or "the world next door," as Eileen Garrett called it, is not up or down. It is here, moving at a different rate of speed. And the dimension into which we all pass--except ghosts, because they can't get into it until they are liberated from their compulsions--is concentric with this dimension. It exists in the same special area, but because it's strung out further, it does not clash with the thicker atmosphere, the thicker dimension, in which we exist.

We are all spirit. When we pass on, we simply get rid of the outer layer and, underneath, there really is a duplicate layer. This inner body - like an inner tube of a tire - is where our personality resides. At death the physical body is worn out and dissolved, so the inner body is where we live. So we need to have an atmosphere, a dimension, that fits this inner body and that's the world of spirit, or the etheric world. The etheric world is all around us. At death, we ride out into that world and we are right there. That's our normal transition. However, once in a while something goes wrong when somebody passes from the physical state.

The soul is the spirit. The soul is the personality. The soul is energy that manifests through and resides in an etheric body. This energy field, which is us, is what the church calls the soul and what the spiritually inclined people call the spirit.

When you pass on you take your memories with you. And if your life has been negative or a destructive one, you will have to go to school, so to speak, and the next time around you will have a chance to confront some of those issues again. That's the whole idea behind reincarnation. I did a lot of work on reincarnation for Life Beyond (Contemporary Books). I have no doubts whatsoever it exists for everybody.

Unfortunately, our culture teaches people that it [Communication with our dead Ancestors] is not possible, there is nothing out there, yet when somebody passes on, the first thing when they arrive on the other side is they want to let their loved ones know that they are still alive and that they are well and they are happy being with other loved ones. There is touching and cases where they feel the person. Yes. Oh, all of this is very possible.