What is an Orb? Can it be a Ghost, Spirit or Both?

A real ORB outside Asheville's Jackson building

Today we'll explore orbs and what they look like if they are connected to an Earth bound ghost or a spirit (whom has crossed over). I talk about orbs in my books "Ghosts and Spirits" and "Lessons Learned." Most of the time, they can be debunked or discounted, but every now and then you run into a genuine ghostly/spirit orb! 

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.

 

GHOSTS OR SPIRITS? - As I explain in my books, the difference between a ghost and a spirit is location. Ghosts are Earthbound, spirits have crossed over. BOTH, however, can take the most simple form of an orb.

WHAT DO ORBS LOOK LIKE?
  I've found that orbs that are associated with a ghost or spirit can be differentiated from non-orbs in a couple of ways. Orbs 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. 
 
Orbs During Paranormal Investigations
   I've noticed orbs appear in photos whenever I'm sensing a ghost. There -up investigation days later, an orb appeared with the face of a woman behind it!  (This is also featured in my book "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead.") 

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

 What do others say about orbs? 

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.