There is a misunderstanding that ghosts are just phantoms of light, images of the past. Maybe this is true for some of the things that happen: silent phantom World War Two aircraft that appear to crash land in areas, never to be found. Or the battle cries resounding each century on haunted fields. But there is a lot of reports that ghosts, especially of people, appear to look at the witness and even directly talk to them. Some ghosts look so real that they appear like you and me.
Not all ghosts resemble the image of floating white sheets. Some ghosts appear as colourful orbs, and others look like mist, or flashes that are mistaken for lightning. Ghosts can look like dark shadowy figures. Others look like humans and animals. But whatever a ghost looks like isn't just about features here. We grow up thinking that ghosts shouldn't eat and if they did, food will pass right to the floor. Afterall, ghosts are dead, and don't need any food, right? Wrong.
Ghosts DO eat. They eat far
more than the living. But how come? you'll ask. Well ghosts need extra nutrients and whole sources of energy to survive, just like we do. The living needs vitamins and minerals to keep going and restore our immune programme, blood warmth and fill our bodies otherwise we'll starve. Without the right ingredients, we become malnourished, ill and eventually die. Ghosts also need this too otherwise they'll disappear.
Ghosts are not going to turn up at the local tuck shop and order a bag of fish and chips. They won't dine out in a restaurant and ask for a three course dinner. Yet ghosts have been seen in eateries, diners, bars, cafes, canteens and pubs. They
have been seen on fishing boats, in farm yards and even in abattoirs! They
have been seen where there is food to be made. And ghosts have been haunting a lot of eating out places and in drinking dens. In hotels, ghosts are regularly seen around dining rooms, eating and drinking phantom food.
You'll say that they were doing those things when they were alive? Ghosts used to visit those places before they died? Right? Actually, ghosts can eat proper food.
In certain cultures, and in ancient European customs, food was added to the graves so that the dead could have something to eat as their soul crosses over into the afterlife. People used to leave out food, bread, fruit and drink druing Halloween, Samhain, Punky and Walpurga Nights so that the travelling spirits are able to feast. Trick or Treat is not just a kids game but has ancient roots in giving out treats/sweets (food) to the real supernatural beings.
These old traditions are based on fairytales, right? Ghosts don't eat candies and chocolate, right? Well YES they can. But whether one has been caught stealing a biscuit from the fridge is not yet known but ghosts have a need for food. All food. Food we eat and food.... food that wild animals eat.
Ghosts feed on energy also. They eat the static that comes from our bodies, and feed off emotional energy fields. They drain batteries of their power. Many choose not to do this, and certain spirits who keep sucking the energy off living people are parasitic and malicious. They get their energy from some other way.
Certain ghosts love germs. They linger in buildings that are decrepid and filthy. Hauntings occur in derelict, old and dirty locations. Germs create an infection and bacteria, and bacteria itself are living organisms that generate small amounts of energy that the ghosts feed off of.
Food theft. Ghosts have been responsible for stealing items of food from the home, like fruit, bread, milk and meat. Perhaps they grab something from shops too.
Ghosts clean the streets of decay and eat rotten fruit on the ground that came from trees.
Ghosts feed off corpses... mainly animals such as mice and birds as there are more of them to be found everywhere outside. Carcass meat that decays in the open is a favourite of theirs because of the amount of germs, maggots, decay and bacteria that corpse is riddled with, producing a stew of energy.
Ghosts can eat plants also, such as dead grass/straw and cut grass.
They drink water and leave places smoking in unusual vapour that is a form of natural mist or fog.
Ghosts also feed on dung and sewage water. Not all do this but the most revolting stuff to eat is diseased and toxic, it can also generate tons of vital energy also and maintain their solid place on the earth.
Ghosts drink blood or feed off the energy from blood. It is why spirits make people who are unwell feel extremely tired. Menstruating women and girls feel different changes in temperature and also can feel drained. Hospitals are a magnet for ghosts. (This is also where the myth of vampires came from).
Not all of this happens all the time and few ghosts will feed off all in the list above. This post is about ghosts that have been reported over centuries to be living off different things, digusting or tasteful. So remember that during Halloween, long after the trick-or-treaters have gone to bed, leave out some sweets and scraps for passing ghosts as they will really appreciate that too.
Rayne @ She Wolf Night
