Can you hear ghosts? Disembodied voices and sounds

Is it possible to hear ghosts without devices or gadgets? You see it happening all the time in paranormal TV shows and movies. But how common is it to hear disembodied voices and unexplained sounds?

As a general rule, it is possible to hear disembodied voices on haunted sites. Most ghostly voices are heard through EVP recordings, though. Disembodied voices often originate from residual hauntings, but there are examples of intelligent hauntings as well.

Can ghosts make sounds that you can hear without EVP recorders or other fancy gadgets? Is it a phenomenon occurring, or is it a psychological phenomenon? Let’s take a closer look!

Disembodied voices

Disembodied voices are ghostly voices you hear without any devices or gadgets. It can be a short “hello” or two-word sentence such as, for example, “help me” or “go away.”

In many cases, the only thing you might hear is a growl, breathing, screaming, sobbing, or singing. It can be hard to distinguish disembodied voices from sound pollution. Sounds can travel in strange ways, and a sound from the street can be misinterpreted as a voice from inside the house.

I remember watching an old episode of “Ghost Hunters International” on TV, where they investigated an abandoned house in the middle of, I think, Sao Paulo. There were no windows or doors, and pigeons and other birds were seen outside. They thought they heard ghostly voices, but in reality, they could have been voices from the street or just animals. This is just one example of many. Sound pollution is hard to battle. All paranormal investigators encounter this, not just Ghost Hunters International, of course.

Disembodied voices are not that common to hear without the help of ECP recorders or ghost boxes – but it happens, though. Most disembodied voices are connected to residual hauntings. But in rare cases, you can hear disembodied voices from intelligent hauntings (Ghost-Hunting for Dummies).

Unexplainable sounds

Sometimes you don’t hear a voice but unexplained footsteps, tapping, knocking, breathing, static buzzing, or “swooshy” sounds. These can be caused by sound pollution, but sometimes they are connected with paranormal activity.

Old houses tend to create strange sounds that might be scary at first. Footsteps can be old wooden floorboards adjusting to temperature or exposure. Old wooden staircases are known for these sounds. It can sound like footsteps, but it is just the flooring adjusting. Metal or stone flooring does not usually don’t have the same “problem.”

Ventilation and animals are other causes of strange sounds in houses. Rats running on the ceiling or in the walls can sound like ghostly tappings, for example. Birds are another cause of odd and sometimes terrifying sounds. Bats in attics can create sounds that easily can be mistaken as paranormal activity.

We have a garage door in our new apartment that creates bizarre sounds in our living room. I was almost sure we had a guest in our new dwelling. But during closer investigations, we could pinpoint the origin of the sound. It didn’t even sound anything near a garage port slamming, like a mellow growl.

With all this said, there are occasions when you can’t find the sound source. It can be classified as paranormal when eliminating all other explanations for the sound.

Sounds that might indicate your home is haunted

I guess you are reading this because you heard a strange sound in your home. I thought it might be a great idea to add a list of sounds that might point toward your home being haunted. But, remember, most sounds are caused by sound pollution or from adjustments in the construction of the house. These adjustments are caused by changes in temperature or pressure (floorboards and staircases when you walk on them).

In the list below, you find sounds that might have paranormal origins. But as stated before, always try to eliminate every other possibility before ruling the sound phenomena as supernatural. In most cases, there is a rational explanation for sounds.

Common sounds connected with hauntings

• Clomping sounds from staircases
• Footsteps
• Tapping in the walls or on doors
• Whispering sounds
• Unexplained sounds of music
• Sobbing or crying
• Unexplained voices
• Static sounds
• Pounding sounds
• Rhythmic chanting
• Growling
• Sounds from pets – barking, purring, or bird tweets
• Low vibrational sounds
• Sounds from instruments (strings, piano, and alike)
• Huffing and puffing sounds
• Bangs
• Metallic sounds
• Disembodied voices (often with a static tint to them)

As you notice, many of these sounds can originate from sound pollution. If you recently moved into a new home, you might experience sounds new to you. Don’t panic if you hear strange sounds; you might not yet be familiar with your new environment.

If the unexplained noises continue and you feel bothered by them, it is always good to ask a friend for a second opinion. Sometimes we miss things when we are stressed out or afraid.

In some cases, you will not find a natural cause for the strange sounds. In these cases, you have to go with your gut feeling and intuition. Do the common signs of haunting apply to your home? If more than two experiences apply to you – you might experience a haunting.

Common signs your home is haunted

• Unexplained temperature drops
• Electrical glitches
• Battery drainage
• Interference when talking on your mobile phone
• Strange smells (perfume, foul smells, lavender, cigar smoke, horse, etc.)
• Displacement of objects
• Unexplainable sounds
• Disembodied voices
• Odd behavior from your pets
• Feeling like you are watched
• Unexplained emotions and moodiness
• Sensations of being touched
• Unexplained shadows
• Movement in the corner of your eye

What to do if you hear a disembodied voice

If you experience disembodied voices, don’t panic. Try to calm down and ground yourself. I know it is easier said than done. But when you are not in the fight or flight mode, you will be able to look at the situation with a clear mind.

Try not to feed the spirit or ghost with fear or anxiety. If you want to end the hauntings, the best approach is to ignore them. I know it is easier said than done. But if you don’t recognize it or interact with it, it will move on.

If you talk a lot about the haunting with others, they might feed the haunting with their anxiety. The accumulated emotions act as an amplifier and make the haunting even worse. If you need to talk about your experiences, do it outside the haunted site or area. My recommendation is to vent your emotions to someone not connected to the site. In this way, you protect yourself from feeding an already messy situation.

But as always, you need to use your gut feeling and smarts. In some cases, all the ghosts want is recognition. When they know they are heard, they can move on. They might have a final task to finalize before moving on. This is often the case when a loved one is trying to deliver an important message from the other side.

Another tip is to gently ask it to leave as this is your home now. Don’t be rude, intimidate, or scream at the ghost. Firmly ask the spirit to stop haunting your house. Make it known that you do not feel comfortable with them around. In many cases, this is enough to make hauntings less prominent.

Cleansing

You might need to cleanse your house in cases with more evil spirits or entities. This might not eliminate the problem, but it makes it harder for the spirit to gain strength. If you are not familiar with sage cleansing, it is recommended to ask a professional for help.

There are different ways of cleansing a home. The most common one is using sage. Other techniques are chanting, prayers, incents, and rituals. If you want to learn more about cleansing with sage, I have written an article about it on my tarot site. You can read more here. In cases of very powerful hauntings, you might need to ask an experienced healer, psychic (Keen.com – Paid link), or paranormal investigator to assist you.

House blessing

Another technique is to bless the home. The blessing is performed by a priest, psychic, paranormal investigator, or healer. The house is protected from hauntings and negative spirits by conducting a religious or spiritual ritual. You must find a person that follows your belief system.

It is common to conduct a house blessing if something bad has happened and the vibrations are lower than usual. The same if you move into a new home or feel that the vibe is not right.

There is always a risk a house blessing stir up hauntings as well. In some cases, ghosts get very annoyed by these rituals and riot. This is most common if you are dealing with negative spirits or energies. If this happens, reach out to the one who performed the house blessing and ask for further advice and recommendations.

Always remember, though, that most ghosts are not dangerous or want to cause you harm. Many need help or assistance. If you listen to them and try to understand what they want, they might finally find peace and move on. It is also a solution to accept the ghost and allow it to share your space. This is not recommended if there is a suspicion of demonic activity. Demonic attachment and possession are dangerous. If you are unsure what kind of spirit you are facing, contact a professional.

Clairaudience

Do you hear the disembodied voices no one else hears? In these cases, you might be clairaudient without realizing it. A clairaudient is a type of medium that hear spirit voices. Most of these voices are positive and can be controlled. Negative voices are not that commonly connected with clairaudient experiences.

There is always a risk that your brain is tricking you into hearing things that are not there. If you are experiencing disembodied voices in your home, it is always good to consult a mental health expert to rule out any illnesses.

Are disembodied voices dangerous?

As a general rule, disembodied voices are not dangerous. They can be terrifying and stressful, though. Most disembodied voices are not originating from intelligent hauntings. Most disembodied voices are caused by my residual hauntings. Residual hauntings are like a recording that loops over and over again. The loop often occurs at the same time. It can be an “important date,” anniversary, or time of the year. The sound or voice is not “communicating” with you, and therefore it will not hurt you. If you repeatedly experience the exact words or sounds, this strongly indicates residual haunting.

If the disembodied voice originates from an intelligent haunting, it can, in rare cases, pose a danger. If a negative or demonic entity causes the haunting, it can lead to attachment, oppression, or possession.

Summery

Even if it is not common, you can hear disembodied voices. Most ghostly voices are captured with the help of EVP recorders or ghost boxes. Don’t be too afraid if you hear a mysterious voice. In most cases, they are not dangerous. Don’t interact if you suspect that the spirit trying to get your attention is evil or dark. If you want the haunting to go away, the best approach is to ignore it. You can also ask it to leave in a firm, but kind, manner. Remember that ghosts are spirits of humans, and they should be treated with respect.

If you want to get rid of the ghost, you can try to cleanse the house with sage; if you are unfamiliar with the procedure, a professional to help you out. It can be tricky to do it yourself if you are a newbie. You might need to sage your home several times before the haunting disappears.

In most cases, it is a great idea to contact a psychic medium or paranormal investigator if the haunting becomes a problem in your daily life. As hauntings feed fear, the situation might be worse if you wait too long to get professional advice.

Reference and cites

• Ghost-Hunting for Dummies, Zak Bagans, 2020