Paranormal Orbs 101: What is an Orb?

Today we'll explore orbs and what they look like if they are connected to a ghost or spirit. 

What is an Orb?

A Dictionary definition of an orb is an unexpected, often circular photographic artifact. In terms of paranormal activity, orbs are the most simple form a ghost or spirit can take. However, you need to be careful in calling something an orb.

What do Genuine Orbs Look Like? 
  I've found that orbs that are associated with a ghost or spirit can be diffentiated from non-orbs in a couple of ways. One is that they usually have designs or colors in them. Reflections, bugs, dust or pollen do not have designs or colors in photographs and are often mistaken for orbs. Further, genuine orbs may also have a face in them!  In one investigation I wrote about in my book "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" myself and Troy, another medium in the group sensed 2 female ghosts in a home where a double murder occurred (unbeknownst to us). One of the Inspired Ghost Tracking Team captured an orb in the area where we sensed the two female ghosts. In the orb was the FACE of a woman. You can see it here and it appears in the book (available on Amazon) that also explains the entire investigation. 

Face in an orb during a murder investigation. Credit: IGT/Rob Gutro

Orbs During Paranormal Investigations
   I've noticed orbs appear in photos whenever I'm sensing a ghost. There were several instances when orbs have appeared in photos when I sense a ghost nearby. In Riversdale Mansion, Riverdale, Md. I sensed a woman and a little girl in a large room. At the time, one of the members from Inspired Ghost Trackers was taking photos, and in one of them, several orbs appeared in front of a window.
  During a private investigation, I sensed a lot of emotional energy and distress in a furnace room that turned out to be where two women were murdered. In a follow-up investigation days later, an orb appeared with the face of a woman behind it! (It will be in my 2nd book coming later in 2012 called "Lessons Learned from the Dead.").

 Orbs may Indicate Ghostly Activity
    A friend from Florida sent me a photo of an orb that appeared in a photo taken outside his house. What's interesting is that he's had paranormal activity in his house -including footsteps, movement of doors and objects, and he's seen shadow figures. So, I sent the photo to the Inspired Ghost Trackers of Maryland to analyze it.

What do others say about orbs? 

Orbs appear in Riversdale Mansion room when I sensed 2 ghosts.

Dave Juliano of Shadowland.net, a ghost hunter, defines an Orb this way: The orb is the energy being transferred from a source (i.e. powerlines, heat energy, batteries, people, etc) to the spirit so they can manifest.   This may not even be a conscious thing the spirit is doing, just a natural way they get their energy.  This would explain why the orbs are round balls.  According to the laws of Physics energy being transferring like that would assume is natural shape of a sphere.   This theory can also be tied into the EMF readings we get during spirit activity. Source: http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/orbs.htm
   Dave brings up a good point about Camera Processing errors: The digital cameras can't have film-processing errors.  I am aware that some people feel that the orbs on a digital camera are an error in the digital processing of the image.  When that error does occur in digital photos, the objects tend to be square in nature, not round and they cannot be semi-transparent, the pixel behind would have to be corrupted also.  

In the News: Mysterious Object In The Space Walk Hall Of Fame Museum Is Caught On Camera

Here's an interesting story and a video of what really appears to be an orb (the most simple form a ghost or spirit can take). An orb can also be distinguished from dust motes, bugs, and reflections because orbs usually have color and/or designs in them, as this one did. This appears to be an orb!
    The report is from Justin Warmoth, reporter at Channel 6 in Titusville, Florida, from May 19, 2015

Mysterious Object In The Space Walk Hall Of Fame Museum Is Caught On Camera

SOURCE: : http://www.jumblejoy.com/museum-ghost?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=women-get-it-free 

     An orb-shaped object very quickly moves into the frame, vanishes then comes back. It is apparently not unusual to have unexplained activity in this museum.

      Charlie Morris, who is president of the museum, says that in both instances the air conditioning and lights are turned off. So, there could be no electrical interference. This is truly unexplainable.

f course, the museum has just moved into a 100 year old building, which used to be the County Records building. Over the years there have been apparently hundreds of sightings of unexplained “encounters”.

No one can explain it. Orbs usually represent ghosts — is it the ghost of early astronauts coming back to see that their objects are being well taken care of? Or did the objects attach themselves to something “in space” while they were there? Is this our first encounter with an alien being?

     Well, no matter what it is, everyone is happy to talk about and give their opinion. Only time will tell if it is intelligent, or just someone poking themselves in to make sure everything is on the up-and-up. What do you think it is?

 VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=82&v=1Uqqg7ZNNgU

Q&A From a Reader: Orb Encounter

An orb outside a bldg in Ashville,NC

I receive emails about different aspects of ghosts and spirits and publish them in the comments section of this blog, but also like to post the questions and my answers to help others. Here's one about orbs.

NOTE:  I'm not a big believer in orbs but I've found that most have color and designs in them - and sometimes faces (as I published in my book "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead." - I took this photo of an orb (2 actually) outside of the J.B. Jackson building in Asheville, NC - a building where a couple of people jumped to their deaths).

QUESTION:

We set up a camera in our home, set to record only whenever there is motion. At 5:15am this morning (it was still dark in our home) the camera began recording and it was a moving orb.... nothing but the orb - not my dogs, nothing else. I am at a total loss for words and would greatly appreciate your input. I had been hearing doors open and shut around this very time, which is why we set the camera up initially. Thanks so much.

ANSWER: 

    Motion detector cameras can sometimes be triggered if there's a vehicle moving by, or if there's an insect or piece of dust large enough to set it off. However, if you've been hearing doors open and close the orb you saw may be tied to an Earth bound ghost or spirit. If this hasn't happened until recently, it may be a spirit of a loved one that passed and has come to give you a message that they're still around you. 

     Does 5:15 am mean anything to you- in terms of someone's passing? or even May 15th for a passing, birthday or anniversary? spirits work with numbers in strange ways.  

     If this helps you pinpoint who it is, talk with them and tell them not to wake you in the mornings and that you get the message. 

   Another thing to do is watch your dogs to see if they are "looking" at an empty space. They can see ghosts and spirits - and when they do stare at "nothing" take the time to talk with the entity and tell it to please leave, and that this is your home.

Lessons Learned, Ghosts and Spirits

For Rob Gutro's books: "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead," "Pets and the Afterlife" and the new book "Pets and the Afterlife 2" -  visit Amazon.com   (or click this link) 

Pets and the Afterlife 2, Pets and the Afterlife