The most widely accepted orb definition is of a globe of light or light ball. Most commonly, you’ll see orbs in videos or orbs in pictures, but you can also see them with the naked eye. These orbs of light can appear in a variety of different colours, but they’re most often transparent, black, white, green, red or blue. They often float in mid-air, but they can move quickly.
What are Orbs?
Orbs of light are generally thought to be the manifestation of energy – which is why they’re sometimes referred to as ghost orbs or spirit orbs. Some of the orbs you see in pictures aren’t actually “ghostly” in nature: they’re mere refractions of the light on the lense of a camera, or are a result of the flash of a camera picking up a piece of dust, metal or even tiny insects in the air. Dust or particles on the lensecap of a digital camera are also well-known for causing orb-like phenomena.
Although orb definitions vary from place to place, it’s generally accepted that a “true” orb is an orb that is relatively solid from the centre, without any of the spokes of light that you’d see from orbs caused by light interference. Often, they emit their own light, if only a very small amount of light. Whilst orbs are most often thought of as spirits, some believe them to be a separate form of energy that we don’t yet understand, or a manifestation of Native spirits. The truth is, we don’t yet understand orbs, but we know that they appear most commonly in certain places, which means that we can draw some conclusions about what they are and more importantly, what they might mean.
What do Orb Colours Mean?
Orbs can be sighted in different colours, and although they are most commonly spotted as transparent or clear light orbs, it’s generally thought that different coloured orbs have different meanings, and that the energy captured within the orb is trying to convey a message.
- White orbs: orbs that are white or silver are typically thought to be positive, although they could also indicate that a spirit or energy is stuck or trapped on a plane that they don’t belong on
- Red orbs: red or orange orbs (orbs that are warm in colour) are generally considered to be warm and protective spirits. Although red and orange can be considered passionate and fiery colours, this is typically not the case when we talk about ghost or spirit orbs. Red orbs could also be a manifestation of the energy of a protector or a caretaker; someone who was watchful in life – perhaps a mother, teacher or nurse.
- Black orbs: orbs with a brown or dark hue may have a reputation as being negative or angry spirits, but in reality they may simply be spirits with negative or heavy emotions attached to them. These are not evil spirits or energy; they are simply spirits with a lot of low or overwhelming emotions attached to them, which may be difficult to deal with if you are inexperienced. Black orbs can be a sign that a certain place is not particularly friendly in the way of energy or spirits, but it is up to you to decipher those spirits or energies before you proceed.
- Green orbs: green is always associated with nature, and in the case of orbs, it tends to represent onness with the Earth and with the heart – the association between the body, the soul and the Earth. It can also indicate spirits that have never lived on Earth, such as deceased infants.
- Blue orbs: the colour blue is often used to try to illicit a calming, healing response, and in the case of orbs, blue often indicates the presence of a calming or healing energy or spirit. It may also represent some sort of truth, particularly if you’re looking for answers or trying to contact a specific spirit from the afterlife.
When Do You See Orbs?
When we ask “what are orbs?”, we really need to talk about when and where we see them. Typically, they are seen at night, in areas where there has been paranormal phenomena or other atypical phenomena already reported. Ghost orbs and spirit orbs may be seen around places like graveyards or churches, or when activities such as seances or clairvoyance work are carried out. Orbs have also been reported in areas where many deaths have occurred – as an example, eyewitness accounts have recorded orbs at the Gettysburg battlefield at night.
Orbs can also be seen around people. When certain people attract orbs, it’s often thought that the question “what is an orb?”, is answered a little bit differently. In these cases, orbs are thought to represent halos, angels or deceased relatives – a tiny manifestation of protective energy that we can see either through the naked eye or captured on film. Generally, if someone has an orb or multiple orbs that “hang around”, they are often more of a spiritual person, and may experience other paranormal phenomena, although this is not always the case.
Orbs can also be seen within an individual’s aura, particularly if they are a psychic or spiritualist. This may indicate that they can communicate with spirits or energies, or simply that energies or spirits are trying to communicate.
Conducting a spiritual ritual, such as prayer, healing or worship makes it more likely that orbs will appear in photographs, and it’s also more likely that orbs will be seen when a ritual occurs between the border of life and death, such as at a funeral or death. However, orbs and the spirits and entities within them will also make themselves known at any special life event, such as a birth or wedding – or at any other time, which is why you could see orbs crop up in the most mundane of photographs or videos.
Can I See Inside An Orb?
Orbs are typically just orbs of light, although some people believe that they have seen faces of people and animals within orbs, as well as buildings and other scenes. Although this may be a trick of the mind or simply a trick of the light, some believe that these spiritual orbs could well be a portal of sorts to another realm.
Although many different people believe many different things about orbs, one thing is widely and commonly accepted: orbs are energy. Seeing manifestations of energy during special occasions, or even during the most mundane of events can be incredibly comforting for family left behind. If we are to believe that orbs are spirits, deceased loved ones or angels, spotting an orb in a family photo is a surefire way to know whether or not we’re being visited on this plane. For most of us, that’s a good thing – unless the orb is black…
