The following descriptions are the most widely accepted however there are other theories gaining strength that can alter these theories. I discuss PARALLEL DIMENSIONS HERE .

Residual Haunting
Residual hauntings are by far the most common hauntings that occur. These are not true "hauntings" in the academic sense however since there is no spirit or entity present. What we witness is leftover "residual energy" that has left an imprint on the environment.

Residual hauntings are like a broken record stuck in one particular spot. The haunting is an event or series of events that play themselves over and over. Many things can cause the activities to occur such as thunderstorms and other atmospheric conditions as well as a whole plethora of other environmental scenarios. The witnesses will often experience sounds and even visuals that occur at the same times and same places. Some of the most famous examples of residual hauntings are of figures of past lives that walk the same stretch of hallway at the same time night after night.

It is important to understand that residual hauntings are not spirit or entity-based and as a result they do not interact with their physical environment. They are not aware of our presence and will continue on with their routine until the residual energy has dissipated. Nothing we do will alter or prevent the occurrences.

Intelligent Haunting
Intelligent hauntings are what most people think of when they think of ghosts. An intelligent haunting involves a spirit or other entity that is earthbound. These entities have not crossed over for whatever reason. Some can't until they get closure while others don't even realize that they are in fact dead. Intelligent hauntings are often times aware of their surroundings and they will frequently interact with their environments. Intelligent hauntings are most frequently responsible for slamming doors, dropped items and other occurrences involving our physical world.

Intelligent hauntings are usually connected to either the site or the people. Some reasons for this could be:

• Died as a result of a traumatic event, murder, car accident, etc.
• Due to unfinished business.
• The spirit may have died suddenly and not realized he/she died.
• The living loved ones are so emotionally distraught they can’t let go.
• The spirit is emotionally connected to their loved ones.
• They cannot rest due to an injustice done to them.
• Fear of the other side or judgment

It is however possible that an entity is not aware of its surroundings and as a result will appear to be residual in nature as it won't interact. In these cases the haunting can take on a repetitive nature.

One of the most common triggers for paranormal activity in a home that didn't previously have any occurrences is renovation. When an environment is changed past entities can be pushed into activity. Often times the home was theirs once and you have made changes that they don't understand or even like. However in very few cases are these entities upset by the changes. By and large they are simply confused by the altered environment.

Keep in mind these are not the only types of hauntings - just the most common. Once you have determined what type of haunting you have it will be easier to decide how to handle it.

If you are experiencing unexplained activity in your home there are several things you can do to confirm it. First is pay attention to everything. If stuff moves, mark its positions with tape and check them periodically. Next you need to look for anything physical that could cause these activities. Some of the biggest culprits are things like vibrations from various sources and faulty or failing electrical components. Do everything you can to rule out anything plausible/tangible. Once that is done it is time to figure out how to handle it.

Read on to "Step 2: How to Handle a Potential Haunting ".