I am wondering, has anyone had an encounter with a physically agressive spirit. Has anyone had any physical harm caused from an encounter with a spirit? A friend of mine did. If you go to http://shadyrestcemetery.tripod.com[/URL] you will find some of our past logs to the Shadyrest Cemetery and there are a few incidents listed there of physical encounters.

Also, does anyone have any opinion about spirits have the ability to harm a human?

Although it's rare, I believe it's at least theoretically possible for a ghost to harm a human. After all, there are many cases of ghosts (poltergeists in particular) moving or throwing objects. If they can do this, a malicious spirit could push someone down the stairs, or throw a heavy object at them, causing injury or death.

I've heard stories of people getting scratches or cuts from a ghost as well.

Fortunately these cases are rare, and most ghosts and spirits tend to be harmless or even friendly.

I agree with Kevin, I think it can happen but it is relatively rare. I've had a few incidents which I felt "something" was trying to get physical. While visiting the Tower of London a few years ago, I had the sensation that something was trying to push me down a winding stairway. I only had the sensation in one particular area of the complex, and whatever it was did not want me around for some reason.

I've told this story before, but will repeat it in a condensed version: As a teenager, my father traveled a lot and my mother and I would sometimes spend the evening watching movies, talking, etc... One evening, we were in my room watching a movie and Mom fell asleep in my bed. I awoke several hours later to see my mother floating maybe an inch above the matress. She was levitating, but not like you would see in the movies, just enough that I could get my hand between her and the matress without touching her. She was pulled by some force horizontally, off the bed and on to the floor. The entire incident did not wake her up, but terrified me at the time.

Looking back, I wish I had known more about the paranormal at the time, but I didn't. I realize now that something there (I think this house had several spirits) was not benevolent and some sort of action should have been taken.

My nephew was scratched on the leg one night when we were investigating an old cemetery in Porterdale, GA. (We took a pic of it right after it happened, which I will find it and share.) There were no briars or anything that could have caused it. I tend to think of it as not a "spirit," but more like an evil "entity." I think there is a difference. Sylvia Browne says in her book, Visits From The Afterlife that there are no bad "spirits." Spirits are those who have died and crossed over, but come back to visit or communicate with loved ones through dreams or leaving little signs that they've been around. That's called a "visitation." Ghosts are those who have died, but for some reason don't cross over and they are more like to haunt places and not people (a haunting.) As far a poltergeists are concerned, I've heard they are mostly just mischeivous and toss things around, make noise, probably delight in scaring people. When it comes to unseen forces which are malicious, especially enough to actually cause harm to a person or have the power to levitate things...then that's more likely of a demonic entity. When that happens, it's time to call a priest or get the heck outta Dodge. lol That's just my opinion, based on what I've seen and read. At any rate, I'd take care in going to that place, and would probably avoid it, myself. I don't want anything attaching itself to me that can't be washed off.

I agree with Kevin's statement also.
In my experiences I've rarely met with malevolent ghosts. But I have run into some. I was attacked by one myself. I've been beset upon by others but the one I consider an attack was this really, really, angry guy (mean and rotten in life) wanted to take over my body. Somehow he figured out how to drain energy from people in an attempt to weaken them and then try taking over the body. Completely foolish but then most ghosts are not in a right state of mind anyway.
I've never been physically harmed by any nor do I know anyone who has been harmed so. Though I also believe that it is possible. Spirits/Ghosties are energy and energy affects matter. If one was able to gather enough energy then they should be able to manifest reactions on the physical plane. Which supports your belief and experiences.