Consciousness

Consciousness is the level of awareness a spirit has of their circumstances.

Unconscious
The unexpected nature of death, sometimes combined with violence or suffering, can be extremely disorienting, often leaving ghosts unaware that anything has changed at all. These ghosts are "unconscious" of their situation, with some believing they are still alive. Even some poltergeists are unconscious, their actions the result of frustrated acts of temper against their environment, or a continuation of violent behaviors potentially from their last moments. Most unconscious ghosts are completely unaware of other presences, living or dead, and will fail to respond to their presence, even while causing disturbances. They usually cannot hear what's going on, even in the same room, or on the same layer. They are completely aware.

Unconscious ghosts are often behind "non-intelligent" hauntings--repeated, ritualistic happenings that seem to follow a pattern, and show no interaction. This can be a day or event repeated from their lives, or simply an action they regularly took, such as closing a door, walking a hall, or crying. For spirits that are native to their place of haunting, their paths can follow architecture that no longer exists--stairs that have been removed, doors that have been built over--as their surroundings reflect their memory of the place as it was.

Many ghosts go through a period of unconsciousness, before they "wake up" to the truth of their situation. This realization can be too much for some spirits, who may simply cross over from the shock. Others may become interactive, or begin to interact as they become cognizant.

Partial Consciousness
There is a gray area between "asleep" and "awake," in which a ghost can flip from being fully aware of their death to seemingly forgetting that it happened at all. Like a patient with dementia, they are often disoriented, sometimes transitioning at random, forgetting where they are or how they got there. These periods of lucidity can be extremely confusing for them, making it difficult for them to communicate at all.

Some partly conscious spirits may still attempt to interact with others, whether lucid or otherwise. When they do interact, their answers can be disjointed or contradictory. They can seemingly appear or even call out, only to be gone again, losing track of where they are and what they're doing. This has been described as being "lost in the dark," aware that something is wrong, but not quite what.

Consciousness
The presence of consciousness and its development are a mystery. It may have something to do with the awareness a person has of his or her death, with those who die suddenly often taking longer to realize what happened. The fact is, there is no proven way to make the "lights" come on. The spark that awakens a spirit varies, sometimes happening naturally, other times with a mental shock, such as the recognition of time passed or things changing. The transition between unconscious and conscious can be random, taking anywhere from minutes to centuries.

By this point, they generally know that they have died, whether or not they know how.

A spirit that is "awake" is sometimes fully interactive, for better or worse. They can recognize the presence of others, seeking interaction from those they think can "hear" them, or otherwise attempting to draw attention. Often, these are people with questions, or those who know something and are trying to share it. An angry or negative spirit may choose to interact in the form of destructive haunting, causing disturbances for attention, to pass time, or to otherwise amuse themselves.

Conscious ghosts that have occupied a place long enough can become attached to it or its occupants, sometimes taking it upon themselves to watch over them. This instinct is the base requirement for becoming a guardian.

Though often able to do so, not every conscious spirit chooses to interact. Even with active attempts to communicate, they may choose to pretend ignorance for their own reasons.

Consciousness and Presentation
"Also see: Presentation and The Effects of Trauma"More than actual biology, which goes away with the loss of the body, a ghost's appearance is the result of how they see themselves. Contrary to the Hollywood perception, a spirit's visual image may not match the way they looked at the time of their death. Someone completely unaware of their death may appear as they did in life, down to their favorite clothes and wrist-watch. By contrast, someone who died violently may be stuck in that moment of suffering, presenting as a ghastly, brutalized horror.

While often relevant to the method of death, this state is not perfectly realistic, nor is it a conscious choice. It simply reflects the most relevant feeling the spirit exists with. Whatever was most present--be that an injury or another form of suffering--becomes represented unconsciously by their energy, changing their appearance to suit the way that they feel.

A person who appears mutilated in unconsciousness often retakes a more natural form once "awakened." This is because pain, while powerful, is temporary. Once freed from torment, the mind subconsciously seeks for the form that is most familiar, resulting in an appearance more similar to the one they held in life.

Though it is a fact that some unfortunate ghosts can present in a frightful, stereotypical manner, not all people who die violently appear mutilated. Those who don't remember or who had no time to perceive their own pain cannot present it, and so appear similarly to how they did in life.