A decade ago, orbs began to show up in my photos—my all-time favorite, this one above of preschooler Ryder and a “friend.”
He’d playfully donned an outsized t-shirt, my reason for snapping the picture. Only later, finally looking at the image, did I notice my grandson staring down with delight and fascination at an orb. 
Later, I learned that children are especially aware and often in the company of one or more of these light beings. Six orbs, in random spots, are in the photo of my other grandchild, Truman. Note, in the other photo, the attention the baby is paying to a single orb—in both cases, possible spirit guides, angels, and/or departed loved ones.
In 2008, Dr. Meg Blackburn Losey lectured on the existence of these spherical-shaped energy fields at a conference for professionals and families working or living with children born with special traits. She related her experience of suddenly seeing orbs in the pictures she took with her digital camera. Investigating further, she discovered that some people even could count on orbs showing up in their pictures by simply intending for or calling upon them to do so.
WHAT ARE ORBS?
This chart shows just some of the wide variety of spherical orbs.
She recognized that orbs embody consciousness, whether they are emanations of other light beings or, amazingly, of real children. And ultimately, as she worked on expanding her own energetic system and consciousness—letting go of limiting beliefs about what’s possible—she began to see orbs without need of a camera. A medical intuitive with an international healing practice who advocates for children with “special gifts,” she sensed that the orbs she encountered each embodied the consciousness of a different child. Tentatively, she began to speak telepathically to the orbs.
In her book “The Children of Now” she admits that initially she felt rather silly talking to an energy field—until the orbs ‘talked” back! These children, who often lived far away, were expressing their energetic signatures in orb form and communicating close at hand with someone who was a champion and defender of their new traits and differences. After such meetings in nonphysical form, a number of them asked their parents— ignorant of their prior contact—to call or email Dr. Blackburn Losey or to introduce them to her in person at a local conference or speaking engagement. And they did, validating their children’s previous connections.
Whether they are the emanating forms of children, spirit guides, angels, departed loved ones, or beings from another dimension, all orbs are electromagnetic in nature. They register not through the reflected light from the camera’s flash, but from a light emerging from within the orbs themselves. Unlike conventional cameras with embedded “hot mirrors” to filter out the infrared portion of the light spectrum, digital cameras include this area, allowing the otherwise unseen orbs to become visible. The classic shape is circular and translucent, the orb’s rim sometimes a different shade.
However, researchers have discovered great variety in color and intensity, intricacy, size, and shape. The camera sometimes captures a high-frequency, rapidly moving orb with a “tail.” Some spherical orbs have even managed to present images within of faces. They also can appear as plasma-like clouds or lightwaves. Sandra Underwood’s books, like “Orbs Around the World,” provide ample evidence of their range in appearance and location.
WHEN IS AN ORB NOT AN ORB?
Here are lightwaves in a church I visited in the Greek Isles.
As physicist Klaus Heinemann notes in the book he coauthored with Míceál Ledwith—“The Orb Project”—discerning real 
from fake orbs takes time, practice, and diligence. Both researchers have separately studied over 100,000 of their photos, as have others, their own. When either had used a flash, they were careful to detect retro-reflection of light off solid particles, such as dust or pollen, or liquid particles, especially rain. Such conditions—even tiny flying insects—can create the semblance of an orb. In such cases, its density typically appears lighter and fuzzier. Dust particles are usually just one color, whereas real orbs, usually denser, can appear in many hues. They disperse randomly or cluster into a vortex, not lining up in a beam of light.
The authors rejected counterfeits caused by atmospheric elements, like smoke, mist, even one’s own frosty breath in the cold. They disallowed images due to camera lens aberrations and electronic disturbances, too. While the camera aperture’s hexagonal form appeared to suggest orbs with this shape weren’t real, the researchers discovered that orbs could shift from this form to the circular one. In one set of experiments, the two forms—one signifying “yes” and the other “no”—communicated answers to Ledwith’s questions. It’s not difficult to trace and expose attempts at fakery; in digital cameras, an EXIF file records every alteration made to any image.
WHAT’S UP WITH ORBS?
A “face” in this orb appeared on Mallard Island, holy ground for the Anishinabe and Ojibwe.
The authors collected evidence that orbs can exhibit “group mind,” simultaneously appearing and disappearing in “perfect unity.” They established that orbs also can affect the circumstances and times when they can be detected, often showing up on special occasions and in places of spiritual significance. There’s data that they can choose to whom they’ll appear.
For several years after my exposure to Dr. Blackburn Losey’s lecture and book, they surfaced regularly in my life via photos I took. And then they didn’t. I intuited that they’d accomplished their purpose, reminding me before they moved along that the world of spirit is real.
Recently, however, while creating a post about the Monroe Institute, I rediscovered a TMI notebook entry from late 2015 about having experienced myself as an orb, however fleetingly. And twice, to boot. Turns out, I’d conveniently forgotten this experience, too incredible to absorb. What’s more, a little orb has been tagging along in my imagination and my writing for over a year now.
So, ask me if there are orbs among us, and I’m inclined to answer, “You betcha!” How about you?
Here’s an especially bright orb I photographed at the Great Wall in China.
A friend, Mary Swalla Holmes, sent me her picture of this orb in Iowa.
I captured the image of this rapidly moving orb in the Scottish Highlands.
All photos, with the exception of the chart of orbs, the photo of the baby, and the orb photo by Mary Swalla Holmes (the latter copyrighted by her, 2017) are copyrighted by the author of this post, Tunie Munson-Benson, 2017. Use only with permission, please.
