11/05/2025
Ghosts Don’t Knock on Closed Doors
They’re drawn to the open, the aware, the unguarded, and the unhealed.
Why do some people see or experience ghosts while others don’t?
There are a few reasons why — but first, let’s start with the basics.
What’s the difference between a ghost and a spirit?
A spirit is someone who has crossed over and continued their journey. They may stay close for a time — especially while their loved ones grieve — but eventually, they move into their life review and onward to what comes next.
A ghost, on the other hand, is someone who has died but chosen to remain earthbound. In my experience as a medium and paranormal investigator, ghosts often stay because they fear retribution — as well as what’s waiting for them on the other side. Whatever they believe is coming next, that fear can hold them here.
You’ll often find them lingering in places tied to their control, dominance, or attachment. These are people who refused to let go — abusers, slave owners, murderers, those who harmed others and fear their punishment. They stay close to what they once ruled, still trying to command what no longer belongs to them.
But not all ghosts are driven by fear or guilt. Some remain because they simply aren’t ready to give up their human life. They try to stay connected to the world of the living as much as possible.
For example, I once worked with a grieving widow who felt her husband’s spirit around her constantly — even years later. Psychically, I saw her crying every night, and he was still there beside her. His constant presence kept her locked in grief, unable to heal or move forward. Sometimes love itself can anchor a soul, keeping both sides stuck in pain instead of growth.
Other times, a soul dies so suddenly — in a car accident, an act of violence, or a medical emergency — that they don’t realize they’ve passed. They enter what’s known as a death state, reliving the moment of their passing over and over again, like a spiritual Groundhog Day. Loved ones often try to reach them and pull them out, but confusion can make them resist.
Some simply aren’t ready to move on. Others stay because of curiosity — they want to check on loved ones or see what happens after their death, and in doing so, they delay their own journey. It’s still their choice. Even in death, free will exists, though it’s often shaped by fear, guilt, or deep attachment.
I’ve encountered this in readings before. People tell me, “I don’t feel my loved one around anymore,” and when I tune in, I discover that their loved one is in that death state.
That said — it’s rare for a medium to find a soul stuck there.
Pro Tip for New Mediums:
If you feel a spirit come in, then suddenly pull away, it may be because they’re in a death state. You just haven’t recognized that energy yet. Learn how it feels for you to sense a spirit caught between worlds — it’s something every medium eventually encounters.
Mediums can help guide them out of that loop by reminding the soul that they are no longer bound by the moment of their death.
Reminder to New Mediums:
You are like a therapist for the dead. When communicating with spirits, your role is often to understand why they feel stuck, afraid, or unworthy of moving on. Remember — these were people once. They still carry thoughts, emotions, and memories. Your compassion and clarity can help them heal what’s left undone.
Ghosts don’t just wander without purpose. They’re drawn to certain people — some to communicate, others to drain or manipulate.
Those seeking connection will gravitate toward mediums and empaths, even if their gifts are dormant. But ghosts with darker intent look for the lost medium drowning in doubt and depression, the empath who lives in fear, the addicted, the abused, the self-sacrificing martyr. They find resonance with the unhealed.
The lesson is this:
Where you are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually determines what you attract — not just ghosts, but energy, people, and experiences.
As for why some never see or experience the paranormal, it can be because:
> • They simply don’t want to
• They refuse to believe
• Their pineal gland is blocked
• Mental impairments interfere
• Substance use clouds perception
• Or they’re simply not meant to in this lifetime
So if you’ve ever wondered why some people see or sense the unseen while you don’t — remember, it’s not random.
Ghosts don’t knock on closed doors.
— Crystal
Spiritual Educator • Medium
