Earthbound Spirits

An earthbound spirit is a deceased person’s soul whose energy lingers in the physical world and has not yet crossed over into the spiritual realm. Many reasons have been hypothesized about why these souls do not cross over. Films and television programs tend to popularize the belief that entities who stick around on the physical plane are there to wreak havoc on loved ones, people who have purchased property in which they inhabited or those who have disturbed their resting places. Some of these are fictional accounts and do not represent the whole story.

The common collective research about near-death experiences (NDEs) has been that when one dies and transitions to the spirit world, a bright, loving, light within a tunnel appears and the soul is guided through it and greeted by past loved ones or benevolent entities. Whether or not you believe this, you have most likely heard it. The transition is completed and the soul becomes a part of the spirit world. But how do you really know if a soul has successfully crossed over?

Theories exist that some souls do not transition to the other side in a picture-perfect way. Some researchers and psychic mediums believe that perhaps a soul might encounter obstacles to its transition. These so-called earthbound spirits may have something holding them back that will not allow them to rest in peace. Listed below are some possible explanations as to why a spirit might remain stuck in the physical realm.

Confusion — A person who experienced a bewildering, traumatic, sudden death by way of a car accident, act of war, murder, plane crash, or other unexpected means, might not cross over immediately because he/she does not comprehend his/her own death. It may take a long while for the perplexed individual to accept what has happened and to allow the transition to the spirit world.

Unfinished Business — Earthbound spirits may not want to cross over because they were unable to complete an important project prior to their death and they are fixated on seeing it through; they may want to make sure that their loved ones rightfully benefit from the inheritance due to them; they might feel they have to relay one final important message to someone; or they have a specific goal that they were robbed of completing while they were still alive.

Fear of the Unknown — People who had specific religious beliefs when they were alive might still harbor those beliefs as an earthbound spirit. They may actually fear the act of crossing over. They might be guilt-laden because of their earthly deeds and fear being judged too harshly. The fear of crossing over may also stem from the fear of encountering souls in the spirit world who have wronged them or encountering those souls who they had wronged in the physical world. There might also exist the fear that if they cross over their energy will not continue on.

Guilt — An earthbound spirit who has commit suicide or whose behavior contributed to the death (e.g., addiction problems) may experience overwhelming guilt at abruptly leaving behind loved ones — leaving them to fend for themselves and to dig their way out of possible financial debt or legal troubles.

Right a Wrong — Especially in the case of an individual has been murdered, the soul will make every effort to stay in the physical realm to reveal clues surrounding the mystery of his/her death, in the hopes that those who were involved will be brought to justice. A spirit might also be compelled to delay crossing over in order to help a loved one or friend uncover the truth or warn about a situation or an individual who has been unfaithful or whose motives have been unscrupulous in some way.

Loved Ones not Letting Go — Earthbound spirits are often kept from crossing over because the loved ones they have left behind have not been able to move forward or let go and accept the death. The living individuals have not learned to live without the deceased. The spirit becomes tied to those feelings, which overrides their ability to move on to the spirit world. The spirits become stuck and chained down to the physical realm.

In conclusion, at times, the spirits as well as the living need help to make the necessary transitions after death. Psychic mediums and those who are extremely sensitive to spirits have been quite successful in assisting and persuading these earthbound spirits to cross over. They have also been able to uncover the various reasons that may have been holding the spirits back from doing so. They have been able to ally their fears and enticed them to a better place and out of a state of limbo. This process does not always happen immediately. It may take quite some time and patience to achieve the desired outcome for all.