(Introduction)

 

What are Paranormal Investigations? 

 

     Paranormal investigation, some also call it Ghost hunting, is the process of investigating locations that are reportedly haunted by ghosts. Most paranormal investigators try to collect evidence of by taking photos or using equipment that may be able to detect the presence of spirits. Ultimately, the method of “debunking” claims is always at the foresight of investigating claims. Unless you are a ghost hunter. If you are not properly prepared, paranormal investigating can be a dangerous activity. 

 

Paranormal Investigators vs Ghost Hunters 

 

     The terms Paranormal Investigator and Ghost Hunter for most are considered to be the same thing. However, when you look the terms up in the dictionary, you see they are completely different. Let's talk about this since many seem to be confused. Let's first go over the terms and their definitions. 

     

     Ghost Hunter; We all know what a Ghost Hunter is, right? After all, most of us has seen the Network TV hit “Ghost Hunters”. But, do you really? The term Ghost refers to an apparition of a dead person which is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as a nebulous image. Now this raises more questions. Such as, what's it called when activity is heard but not seen? Is it still a ghost? We will cover that later. Now the term Hunter... The term hunter refers to one that searches for something. So now let’s put the two together in a sentence in only definition form without the term. “One that searches for apparitions of a dead person which is believed to appear or become manifest to the living”. So now that we know what a Ghost Hunter is. What do they do? A ghost hunter is one that hunts ghosts and they do this for the purpose of documenting their existence. Now that you know what a Ghost Hunter is... Spoiler Alert; if you’ve watched the show, you now know that the characters on “Ghost Hunters” are NOT Ghost Hunters at all. So, then what, if they are not Ghost Hunters, what are they? This brings us to Paranormal Investigator. 

     

     Paranormal Investigator; Usually a Paranormal Investigator will take the term of being a ghost hunter basically in the same manner most Security Officers will take being called Guards. Again, the two are quite different. So, getting on to the terms, Paranormal is defined as being something not scientifically explainable. Breaking the word apart, Para-Normal. Para used as a prefix to normal is defined as meaning beyond or outside of. The term normal is defined as conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern: characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine. When you bring the two together in meaning, paranormal defines as being beyond or outside the usual, or typical. Now, Investigator... What is an investigator? An investigator is a person who carries out a formal inquiry or investigation. So, check it out folks, we now know by definition what a Paranormal Investigator is. They are a person that carries out formal inquiry or investigations into things outside or beyond the usual or typical. 

     

     Now we know the difference between a Ghost Hunter, and a Paranormal Investigator. And to answer the earlier question. If the characters on “Ghost Hunters” are not ghost hunters at all, then what, if they are not Ghost Hunters, what are they? You have now been able to answer that question. They in fact Paranormal Investigators. A ghost hunter goes in search of the paranormal for the claim of saying they found it and it exists. A paranormal investigator will investigate claims of the paranormal using scientific methods to get to the bottom of why the claims are occurring, either naturally or paranormally. 

 

Why Investigate the Paranormal? 

 

     Now why do some of us investigate the paranormal and others ghost hunt. Well, a lot of the time your paranormal investigators will also ghost hunt and vice versa. This is where the confusion comes into the mix. A paranormal investigative team can on their own go to locations and search for ghosts. Therefore, they are now Ghost Hunting and are Ghost Hunters. Then other times may be called by a tormented client experiencing unexplained goings on and need help. The team then Investigates the paranormal and are now Paranormal Investigators. This is no different than if you call a plumber to fix your drains this week, then the following week you call an electrician to fix a faulty light fixture and the same guy shows up. Last week he was a plumber fixing pipes. This week he's an electrician fixing light switches. Now we’ve added another reason to the list as to why one would ghost hunt. It may not be for any kind of evidentiary value, but may have value in sharpening the hunter's skills as an investigator. 

     

     Paranormal Investigators investigate the paranormal for a few reasons. The most common reason is to help others that either fear, or have lack of knowledge of the paranormal. They want to help others. Plain and simple. Paranormal Investigators are usually not afraid of “ghosts”. Therefore, they are willing to put themselves in front of the spirits to face them. The paranormal investigator is driving for better understanding and knowledge about the spirit world so to become better advocates for them. This way they can better interpret the spirit realm with the living better. 

 

Why Ghost Hunt? 

 

     Many people have been subjected to the paranormal. Some of which have had some pretty terrifying experiences. Some of them want personal verification as to what they experienced. They then go in search of things they experienced to document it as a way of self-gratification by verification. Others quite frankly do it to gather evidence against the skeptical scientific community. They think the more supporters in the belief the more pressure will be on the scientific community to accept the paranormal as existing. Like there is this barrier or something between the two. How wonderful it would be to having the scientific community and paranormal community working together. So much can be done. 

 

Proper Investigative Conduct 

 

     Most Paranormal Investigators and Ghost Hunters are respectable about their ethics. They don’t trespass. They don’t disrespect properties. Most will hold compassion for the client and spirits. They will treat them with care and dignity. The largest hurtle paranormal investigative groups have is gaining the respect of the community. It makes it worse when paranormal groups are trespassing, disrespecting properties and treating the spirits maliciously. It gives all other groups a bad name. So here are some basic dos and don’ts. 

Do 

• Get permission to be on or in a property  

• Respect the clients, the properties, the spirits, and by all means your other team members. 

• Respect the community and their views. 

• Make sure you maintain the dignity of the deceased and their spirits. 

• Take your trash with you. 

Don’t 

• Trespass ANYWHERE 

• Disrespect anyone, anywhere, or the spirits. 

• Taunt the spirits. 

• Conduct yourself in a manner as to cause disruption public peace or order. 

• Trash any location 

• Remove or displace ANYTHING from locations. Don’t take mementos without permission of the owner. 

 

(Paranormal Investigative Equipment) 

 

Paranormal Investigators Equipment 

 

     Equipment used in paranormal investigating can look a bit peculiar. Some tools used are everyday tools used for other applications, or their original intended purposes. One tool like this is the K-II Meter, Or safe range EMF meter. This meter was designed and manufactured by K-II Enterprises and used to detect EMF levels in areas where high levels can potentially be dangerous to humans. We now use this as an EMF meter in the paranormal field to detect EMF fluctuations in the atmosphere suggesting the possibility of spirit activity. Other tools can be downright weird in appearance. A common supplier like this is paranologies.com. For the most part, their tools look nothing like what they are intended for. Using fiber optics in most of their applications and coming up with casings that look like they belong in a store for witches. Some manufacturers of certain tools used in paranormal investigations are made specifically for the field, but based on the concept of tools already out there for other intended applicable uses. An example of this is the vibration sensors (seismoscope). Companies use this sensor where a certain level of seismic disturbances can spell disaster to the company or environment. This can be a company that manufactures certain gases. If enough vibration is present it can rupture gas pipes. This same sensor is used in paranormal investigations. We know it as the geophone, or for paranologies, the geopod.  

     

     The most common types of tools used in paranormal investigating are those used for EMF readings (EMF meters), temperature readings (thermometers), motion detection, capturing audio, photos, and videos. Other less commonly used equipment is used like ion detectors, radiation detectors, other atmospheric measurement tools like anemometers and weather station type sensors.  

     

     In the field of paranormal investigations and ghost hunting, EMF (Electromagnetic Field) meters detect the levels of EMF. It is theorized that spirits manifest by using energy in the atmosphere. We believe drawn energy is converted by the spirit to EMF. Some sources of energy used by the spirits are human bodies, electrical sources, including batteries, and flowing water. When the spirit draws this energy, it harnesses the energy and uses it to manifest. The lack of energy in the air causes cold spots. This is why it is believed that cold spots and the presence of EMF spiked areas indicate the presence of spirit activity. EMF itself does not generate heat as it’s only the emissions of electromagnetic current and not the energy source directly. This is why when a spirit uses energy from flowing water, one can still get readings of EMF spikes. The spirits convert this energy into EMF.  

     

     There are several EMF meters on the market. They are designed for electricians, building inspectors and others as a way to detect levels of EMF within an area. There are a few different types of EMF detection devices. There are meters, detectors, single axis and tri axis. The EMF meter displays the level of EMF detected by a digital or manual read out. An EMF detector lights up or puts out an audible alarm if EMF at dangerous levels is detected. A single axis device is a meter or detector that runs on a one axis sensor. Usually, this sensor is pointing forward to the device and will detect EMF that is in front of or to the rear of the sensor. To obtain a full EMF band reading, this type of meters would need to be used to take three separate readings. To obtain a full dimensional reading using a mono-axial probe (single axis meter) implies the need for three measurements taken with the sensor axis set up along three mutually orthogonal directions, in a X, Y, Z configuration. The tri axis device works with a three-dimensional sensor. Each axis for a tri axis meter is indicated by the letters X, Y, Z. Up and down, side to side, forward and backward, the device can detect EMF across all 3 bands at once coming to a baseline denominator on an EMF reading. This meter is great for a multi axes reading simultaneously.  

     

     The temperature in a location is closely monitored for sudden temperature drops. Any sudden and significant change in temperature either direction +/- 5 degrees or more will sometimes indicate the presence of spirit activity. Thermometers and temperature deviation devices are used to monitor these fluctuations. Ambient thermometers, infrared thermometers and ambient temperature deviation detection (ATDD) tools are used. As previously discussed, the sudden drastic drop in temperatures may suggest the presence of spirit activity. They remove energy from the surrounding air which then develops cold spots. Ambient thermometers will measure the air temperature around the device. It's used to locate spots in the middle of a room or location. Sometimes the spirits will touch objects such as walls, furniture and other household objects. When they do, they tend to leave the spot they touched significantly colder than the rest of the surface. Infrared thermometers are used to measure the temperature of surfaces. ATDD devices are used to alert the investigator of sudden and rapid significant changes in ambient air temperature. This device only allows us to know when there is a sudden change +/- 5 degrees. It does not tell us the exact temperature. An ambient thermometer can show us that data. 

     

     A very important type of tool we use are those tools that can detect motion. These are motion sensors, shadow detection devices, laser grids and more. These devices can see in a light spectrum beyond the ability of human sight. It is in these spectrums that spirits tend to be located in. The sensors can pick them up. Normal everyday motion sensor alarms are used. They will recognize the spirit as a moving object and sound the alarm when they’re detected. Shadow detection devices (SDD) are used to detect shadows. Some claims involve seeing shadows or shadow figures. The devices work almost as the motion sensors do except; they’ll detect shadows where motion sensors do not. We use laser grids also as a motion detection device. When the laser in engaged, and an anomaly passes through the grid lines, it appears like a 3D form going across. Sorta like a raised translucent bubble. Or in better terms like a blob of water running across. Capture this on video and you are golden. You just caught the next best thing to an actual seen apparition.  

     

     Capturing EVP’s are a way of hearing the spirits talk. Paranormal Investigators use what they call an EVP recorder to capture these voices. These recorders are nothing other than voice recorders. There are different types of recorders used. The digital voice recorder, the analog audio recorder, and the digital real time audio recorder. These recorders can hear at decibels far below the physical capabilities of the human ear. Some factors to consider when buying your recorder are do you want digital or analog. With digital cameras, you must look at file transfer options. Some have no form of file transfer such as USB connection or SD card slots. Although you can instant playback on site with these recorders, you cannot transfer the recording. You really want to get a digital recorder that has the options to transfer files. The next is the analog recorder. This is the old school cassette or micro cassette audio recorder. These are excellent as one cannot alter the tape. However, the drawback to it is that the cost of new cassette tapes is there. The next is the digital real time audio recorder. Same as the digital recorder, you want one that has file transfer capabilities. Otherwise, most of these recorders all work the same way. Using headphones, you can listen to the recorder as it records. 

     

     Among the family of EVP tools are spirit boxes and ghost boxes. These are transistor radios with AM/FM bands converted to sweep frequencies at different sweep rates. They are also designed to sweep forward or backward. The Sbox Ghost box is a device that will also record. Usually with the spirit boxes, the PSB-7 and the PSB-11 you need to have an audio recorder recording it because they do not have record capabilities. These boxes generate white noise. Paranormal Investigators theorize that the spirits use their energy to manipulate this white noise to cast voices through the box. Thus, capturing an EVP on the box. Other devices have been seen in the community such as spirit box apps on smart phones, Franks box which is where the spirit and ghost boxes originated, and the portal designed by EVP enthusiast and paranormal EVP expert Steve Huff of Huff Paranormal. Some things to look out for while recording EVP sessions are the sounds of the living. Walking, moving around, talking, whispering, even sounds of the body such as stomachs growling, teeth grinding, bones popping, and yes even the faintest of flatulating can be heard. You may find it better to minimize the number of people you have in a building. The less people in, the better it will be in deciphering the audio. You will want to do all you can to minimize any outside contamination to your audio. Also, whispering to minimize contamination is not good. You should talk normally and deliberately so that the voices are easily identifiable by the analysist. 

     

     Photography is a huge factor of your investigation. The camera has capabilities of seeing what the human eye cannot. The image the camera sees is what shows in the photo taken. Some cameras used in investigating the paranormal are every day digital cameras. Nothing special about them. Straight forward store-bought cameras. Some cameras however have gone through a conversion process. This process converts the camera to infrared or full spectrum. In either case you would need a. infrared or full spectrum light source for the cameras to work properly in complete darkness. The Infrared camera will see things in visible and infrared light spectrums. The full spectrum camera will see both visible and infrared, but adds the feature of see also in ultraviolet light. Both Infrared and ultraviolet cannot be seen by the human eye. But with the conversions, Investigators can now see in a broader spectrum than just visible light. 

 

     Take photos during your walk through with the client, and photograph everything you can. Do this with a non-converted camera. This may be useful during any possible liability claims that arises. Also, take a lot of photos while during your investigation. This is the time that using your converted cameras are a good idea. Take these in succession of sets of three back-to-back in the exact position all three times. If an anomaly does appear in a photo, you have 2 others to compare it to. Avoid taking photos in mirrors or towards reflective objects with the flash on. Remove and had or shoulder straps from your camera to avoid accidental lens interference. Be watchful of hair, dusty areas, extremely moist areas such as rainy. The flash from the camera can illuminate dust particles and rain drops. It’s also been known to reflect off the moisture in the air.  

     

     Videography is a vast and complex topic in paranormal investigating. There are so many types and forms of video recorders. Let's cover the basics here and what they're used for. The first being the simple handy camcorder. You want this rig to have some sort of light source with it along with a boom mic of some sorts. Having an external source of power helps lengthen the life of the camera without dying so soon. It can be used on a tripod or used to document as investigators navigate through an investigation. The next video recorder we will discuss are Go Por cameras. These cameras are especially helpful because they can convert to anything really. You can wear it as a body cam, you can place it on a tripod. There are also other attachments that will allow it to be stages really anywhere you want it to be. A normal go pro is fine and will do the job, however, using an IR or Full Spectrum converted go pro is best. The next camera we will talk about is the DVR surveillance camera set. Most of the more affordable end sets come with an 8 channel 4 camera set up. In this case, more don’t necessarily mean better. The more cameras you have lying about the location, the more data will need to be gone through. Most groups will just set up their DVR without a monitor, then go through the video later. I have found that having a monitor hooked up as its recording, and a person manning the monitor, you can get immediate disturbances and focus on hot spots as they happen. Now I won't go into a lot about drone cameras. However, they do give you a nice vantage point from a distance and aerial surveillance.  

 

     The same basic rules apply for both Photography and Videography. You should be mindful of hair strands, over populated by insects, extremely dusty areas, camera straps, cigarette/cigar/vape smoke etc. You want to eliminate any possible contamination so that you don’t get a false capture. Far as shadows, street lights, car lights, even flashlight beams from other investigators can cast shadows. Be careful not to confuse these with evidence. In cold weather, hold your breath as you are taking photos, you can see your breath in cold weather, so can your camera. 

 

Beginners Essential Equipment 

 

     Starting out as an investigator, you do not need to invest in an entire array of equipment. If you are doing a personal investigation and just doing ghost hunting as a time-to-time hobby, all you really need is your cell phone. It has all the essential tools you need to look for ghosts. The three essentials are a flashlight, audio recorder and a camera. All of which most smart phones have built in. If you want to determine some EMF readings and Temperature readings of the ambient air, the Mel-Meter 8704R Basic is a good animal to get. It offers you a digital EMF Meter with an Ambient Digital Thermometer as well as a red flashlight. Its very inexpensive and combines 2 useful tools in one. 

 

Picking the Right Equipment 

 

     Be aware of what you are going to be using and why. It’s important to know what equipment you’ll need. If you are going to a location to do somewhat of a preliminary investigation, you probably won't need a lot. On a preliminary investigation, you’ll most likely need an audio recorder, perhaps a digital camera, perhaps an EMF digital meter that will pick up natural EMF. Notebook and a pencil may be a great idea. Pencil especially if it's cold out. Pens can stop working in extreme cold conditions.  

 

     If you are on a full investigation, what were your findings during your preliminary? What are the claims? If there is a lot of movement reported and not much in the way of visible shadows or apparitions, then you may want to document with visible light cameras and motion sensor. Shadow detect and IR/Full Spectrum may not be a focal concern. If you have a lot of EMF in the atmosphere, you may not want so much in EMF detection. When you chose to purchase equipment, be aware of what you are purchasing. Especially when it comes to how you will be using it. Remember, electronic equipment in most forms were not designed to be carried around for hours in extreme dark areas. Consider battery life, local storage space when talking about recorders, audio, digital or video. Consider equipment back lighting. Best back lighting is red or green. It’s easier on your eyes in complete darkness. 

 

(Types of Spirits and Hauntings) 

​

Residual vs intelligent hauntings 

 

     A residual haunt is commonly described as a videotape playing over and over again and seemingly random times. It is believed that a residual haunting is trapped or imprinted energy on an environment. Generally, this occurred because something traumatic happened at the location. The event may not have resulted in anyone dying, but it could have. The biggest thing to note about a residual haunting is that it does not have intelligence. This means that there is no consciousness there to acknowledge you or anything that is going on. Thus, setting up trigger objects or doing EVP sessions at a location with only residual activity will do no good, as there is nothing there with consciousness to respond. It is believed this kind of activity has a trigger which causes the “tape” to play and the activity to occur. The trigger may be a time of year, day or time of day, event such as an argument or someone crying, or even something like playing a game of cards. Determining what the trigger is for the residual haunting is key to trying to capture it. There is a theory that certain materials in the bedrock of locations such as quartz or having a running water source near the location such as a river can increase the chances of a residual haunting occurring, but there have been no conclusive studies to support this theory. 

     

     An intelligent type of haunting is the main type of haunting investigated by paranormal investigators. As the name implies, this type of haunting has intelligence, or consciousness associated with it. For those that believe ghosts are spirits of the dead, this is the consciousness of that deceased individual. Whatever it may be, it can respond to questions, react to trigger objects, and interact in many ways with the investigators. This type of haunting is very fun to investigate because you are only limited by your ingenuity when it comes to thinking of ways to interact with whatever might be there. 

 

Orbs 

 

     Though as prevalent as ever, video and still images or orbs can nearly all be explained through normal means. Whether that means dust, mold spores or even energy emitted by the human body, almost every image or video of an orb can be debunked with relative ease. 

There is a lot of controversy in the field regarding orbs. There are many people who think that strange balls of light caught on still images or video are embodiments of spirits of dead people. Although this maybe being a comfort to someone who is grieving over a recently deceased loved-one, the truth of the matter is, 99.9% of all orb pictures can be explained as dust, insects, mold spores, or pollen. PIM believes calling orbs anything else is either ignorant, misleading, or both. 

     

     The truth of the matter is, 99.9% of all orb pictures can be explained as dust, insects, mold spores, or pollen. There are microscopic things floating in the air all the time, we just can’t see them. Things like dead skin cells, animal dander, and textile particles are suspended in the air. When the flash from a camera catches these particles just right, the light reflects back out of focus and creates the ball of light that we see. Below are examples of different types of orbs that were created by doing simple experiments to recreate what many people are capturing and calling orbs. Some have been borrowed from other websites as well. 

     

     Some insect orbs are very evidently insects but others are harder to pick out. These orbs are usually brighter due to the higher density of insects compared to dust. Many times, they are flying and thus a moving orb is created. Insects are small and fast and easily missed, especially in the dark. Don’t be fooled. 

     

     Rain orbs look like they are moving upward. This is due to the refractive properties of water. Rain drops have most of their mass in the bottom due to gravity and as such when the light from the flash enters the rain drop it leaves via the path of least resistance, which is straight out the top. This makes it look like the orbs are moving upward. 

     

     Snow orbs are more similar to insect orbs because they appear brighter due to the greater density that most have. However, you can get very different shapes from snow depending on how much water is in each flake. You have heard that there are no two snowflakes that are exactly the same right? Well think of how many different shapes of orbs snow could make. 

     

      Some people will attribute the intention of a “spirit” based on the color of the orb captured. White or yellow equals nice spirits who are looking out for us and black or red orbs indicate evil or negative spirits or even demons that want to do us harm. The reality is that you can capture an orb of any shade of the rainbow that is dust. Think about it. How many different colored fabrics exist today? If you have a piece of clothing, a carpet, a drape, or bedding that color you can capture an orb the very same color with ease. The bottom line is the color of the orb doesn’t mean anything so please don’t assign meaning to something that is meaningless! 

     

     There are also things that are captured in pictures that are not orbs but look like ectoplasmic mists or vortices. These also have very common explanations. For ectoplasmic mists, it is usually exhaled breath, cigarette smoke, or water vapor. It doesn’t have to be below or near freezing in order to be able to see your breath. If the temperature drops quickly during a hot summer day you can easily see your breath when it is 60+ degrees outside. The same phenomena can cause mist to appear above the ground that is not able to be seen until illuminated with a light. Cigarette or cigar smoke is generally whiter in appearance, but is also commonly mistaken for ectoplasmic mist. When it comes to vortices, or holes/portals in our reality that spirits move back and forth through, they are usually caused by a camera strap, hair, or even spider webs being caught in front of the lens of the camera. 

     

     Is there such a thing as a true orb? Yes! We are all made up of energy and we use lots of things that use energy and all these things can create orbs. Ever hear of ball lightning? Until scientists recreated it in the lab it was considered a paranormal event. Ball lightning is a great example of a natural orb. A natural orb should emit its own light and not need any external illumination to be visible.  

So, if I see a ball of light with my eye did, I just see a ghost? No, just because you witness that doesn’t mean it is a ghost. As stated previously we are all made out of energy and for all you know that orb came from you. Without other evidence to back up paranormal claims, what you saw was just a ball of light, but that doesn’t make it a ghost. Now if you captured an EVP at the same time saying “Hey, that glowing green ball of light is me,” then you are getting somewhere. 

 

Shadow People 

 

     This is a type of haunting activity that has no real explanation. They are different from ghosts. They are usually shapeless dark masses. Mostly seen with your peripheral vision. They are known to do things that are different from ghosts. They can move between walls, they have no human features, they wear no clothes (except for the hat man/hooded figure shadow creatures). People who encounter them, have a feeling of dread. Clairvoyants that encounter Shadow People, say they do not feel they are human and consider them non-human. Shadow People have no discernible mouth, noses or facial expressions. Some are seen as child sized dark humanoids. Some people say they seem to be made up of dark smoke or dark steam. At times when they move, they appear to be moving on an invisible track from one place to another, such as a toy train on a small-scale railroad track. They have been seen to hop or what appears to be a strange dance. They are known to stare at the floor.  

     

     Two common types of Shadow People are the ‘hat man’, that looks like he or she is wearing a 1930s fedora hat and the ‘hooded figure’, which looks like the shadow person has a hood over their head. The hood and hat stand out as clothing, but otherwise, they are not wearing any clothing at all. There are also reports of shadow animals, such as a shadow in the form of a cat, with no discernible mouth, nose or eyes. 

 

Elementals 

 

     Elementals seem to be a type of conscious entity that is closely associated with a specific place or location. This type of creature resides in a realm that is either above or below our levels of perception. Perception is defined as that which is able to be perceived through the normal five senses and then realized as input by the collective function of memory and recall. This may be the most accurate way of saying where these creatures reside. In nature we are constantly confronted with real situations where we cannot observe something directly. For example, a bug's wing which appears as a blur to us simply because it beats at a frequency that is higher than we are able to see clearly. The human eye and the human ear have a range and limits. We know that the human ear simply cannot hear sounds above 20kHz or below 20hz. This is also true with the human eye, the eye cannot see anything that does not stay in front of our eye for 1/24 of a second, our brain simply doesn't have time to perceive it. Outside of our limits of hearing and sight dwells an entire realm that we are not privy to. The physical structure of sensory organs such as ears and eyes are what limits them. The body has had to adapt gradually over time to a range of different needs for the sensory input organs and structures. For example, the size and shape of the human ear impacts the frequency range and decibel levels we have access to. Now had our ears been shaped more like a dog or a bat, proportionally our hearing range would be increased. Sounds from dog whistles is a prime example of audible stimuli that is out of our sensory range. 

     

     If we look into nature, we see a serious similarity in the depiction of an entire range of Sprites, Faeries, and Pixies with notedly bug-like qualities.  We also have with these small lights and manifestations odd mischief being caused and observed.  The classic mischievous faery has almost the exact same attributes we ascribe to the common poltergeist.  The movement of objects, small luminescent orbs, the representation of static discharge as some type of dust trail.   All are strange parallels from the Fey realm.  We also see tales very far back concerning 'Fey Lights', "Will o' th' Wisps', and 'Corpse Candles'.  Seemingly explained by science as natural or marsh gases, and sometimes as ball lightening, a very rare event where magnetic charged plasma becomes visible. We may indeed have an answer to some types of mystery lights, but there is another range of manifestations that do not meet the criteria to explain it away as natural emissions of gas. If we compare a small sample of Poltergeist Cases such as those reported on this Finnish Website , and then compare that to any portion of Faery lore.  You can see an eerie similarity in the type pranks and manifestations. 

     

     Elementals seem to have a developmental process or stages of growth punctuated by marked increases in different types of activity and emotional states. In some regards this does parallel the so-called Poltergeist Stages Probing Stage - The first stages of the elemental seem to be a probing stage characterized by unnerving but non-threatening visual manifestations. These manifestations seem to be the result of the users own mind and the perceived first notions of what a ghost is or a ghost might be. In other words, the primary participants (i.e., the people experiencing the manifestations) sense something perhaps at a subliminal level. The primary participant then manifests the thoughts or visual projections based on more implanted stimuli from the elemental at hand. The notion that these creatures are evil is purely conjecture and totally unsubstantiated, but that myth has grown over the years due to the inability to understand the motives of the creatures. We simply have to accept that understanding their motive may not be possible due simply to the lack of data. For our concerns we can negate the moral judgements of good or evil and simply look at any action as an action designed to provoke reaction and return stimuli for the cause of self-satisfaction. In some cases, bad dreams herald the next stage and overlap to some degree.  

     

     Self-Realization Stage - Soon after an elemental has gotten some feedback from the primary participant it will mature into more sophisticated manifestations. This is when participants start to report bad dreams and seeing fading shadows, missing small objects, lights flickering or electronic disturbances of varying types. The elemental is in a stage of self-realization based on the feedback from the interaction. The creature is starting to quickly realize that the thought patterns and/or mental images that the primary participant experiences is a type of communication and provides some degree of self-awareness and satisfaction. During this phase the idea of 'more than one ghost' becomes an attractive solution to the participants sensations that more than one spirit must be present. This is mostly due to the lack of information on the part of the experiencer who does not realize the feelings of multiple manifestations are an extension of the probing stage. The creature is aware that in different forms it gets different reactions. The Self Realization stage usually overlaps with the next.  

     

     Gainful Interaction Stage - The elemental next progresses into what I term as Gainful Interaction. This is a stage where the creature attempts to ascertain the depth of its interactive ability and the scope of the satisfaction it can gain as a result. The need for this interaction and the resulting gains made by the elemental are unable to be determined. During this phase the elements of fear and sadness may be forced upon the primary participants via thoughts and implanted mental projections. The participants at this point are usually keenly aware of the multiple aspects of the elemental now and are usually confused by the seeming endless supply of new ghosts or new manifestations. The elemental however is at this point on the cusp of the realization that provoking anxiety and fear seems to be the most potent form of stimuli.  

     

     Hyper Active Stage - The elemental has now reached a stage where it is exploiting the most beneficial of the participants emotional states, and has determined that anxiety or fear is the one with the highest yield of satisfaction. The elemental ghost is composed of living energy that is vibrating at frequencies above our limits of sensory perception. What we term as the sixth sense is the ability to sense or detect the presence of other living creatures of a certain amplitude. We are either tuned out to certain frequencies or we are unable to contact them through the limitations of physical senses. Elementals first manifest as a benign or recognized character. Ex. An old lady watching over her house. A young child that seems to be lost. This benign form is usually part of the Probing stage of any immature elemental. Second the elemental may take the form of a recognized icon of fear. 

 

Demonic Activity 

 

     Demons are entities that never had a mortal human form. Origins: Extraterrestrial. Why? If you believe that God and his angels are from the ‘heavens’, that would make them extraterrestrial. If Satan and 1/3 of the angels rebelled against God’s Kingdom, then Satan and 1/3 of the angels that became demons are also extraterrestrial. That is why they never had mortal human form. Einstein said that E = MC2. Energy can be converted into matter and matter into energy. Demons are pure energy entities. They are described in three different ways. 

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1. As angelic, a being of beauty that will manipulate the person to commit something that is sinful or out of the ordinary. 

2. Horrific, evil looking. Some people claim, they have seen demons that are incredibly hideous to look at. I believe demons do this for a scare effect, they know what we fear and this is not their true appearance. 

3. Black mist, black fog, black shadow, black smoke. Most demonic hauntings, the occupants claim to be followed by black mist or black fog. They are usually very easy to identify as long as they are not hiding. When it is a demonic haunting you typically notice a revolting stench similar to rotted flesh or sulfuric acid. They often let loose a growl that sounds like it is coming from everywhere at once. They like to make contact by pushing, shoving, hitting and even scratching. The whole air in the affected area will feel thick like fog and the temperature will drastically change, typically becoming warmer. 

     

     These creatures are very strong, unlike human spirits, and they don’t mind showing it. There have been cases where people have been thrown through the air and even attacked. Apparently, their main goal is to break down a person’s free will in order to make way for possession. This can take days, months or years, but time is of no concern to them. They have a hatred for mankind that dates back to the days of God and Lucifer. They have lived for millennia and will be here long after we are gone. So, you must understand that though you may be able to get these creatures to leave a dwelling with religious provocation, you will never destroy them. They could go to the next place down the road if they choose, most likely they won’t because distance is not an issue for these creatures. They could go from Maine to California on a thought. Demons are capable of changing form right in front of you from a human form to an inhuman form. They are neither male nor female, but can change to meet their needs. People mostly see demons as black masses standing in doorways or near rooms. Sometimes they are called shadow devils. 

     

     Demonic hauntings are very serious, however the chances of your coming in contact with a demonic haunting very unlikely. They are definitely not as common as the television shows and movies would have you believe! 

 

Catholic Exorcist Advice on How to Protect Yourself 

 

     The old adage: An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure, is especially true in the spiritual realm.  The exorcism and deliverance ministry usually addresses problems arising from a lack of spiritual protection or someone purposely opening the door to evil. 

     

     Fr. Patrick (not his real name) a parish priest who has been a diocesan exorcist for 6 years, advises people to stay close to God and the Church. He also warns against flirting with the occult. “God warns us against it in the Bible,” Fr. Patrick explained in an interview. “There’s nothing good that ever comes from it.”   According to him, the occult is a dimension you have no control over.  “Evil wants to convince you that you will have control over it, but you won’t,” he said. “It’s always a mistake.” 

     

     Likewise, he said that opening yourself up to evil such as pornography that is largely accepted in our culture like the Fifty Shades of Grey movie is hazardous to our spiritual well-being. “Whatever you take in, you take into your heart,” Fr. Patrick said. “It deforms the heart and then that is going to play out in your relationships. People are calling it recreation, but it is a mockery of God’s creation.” Put Some Skin in the Game.

     

     Fr. Vincent Lampert, the designated exorcist for the archdiocese of Indianapolis, who trained at the North American College in Rome and assisted on over 40 exorcisms with longtime Italian exorcist Father Carmine De Filippis, said he cannot help anyone not willing to develop a relationship with Jesus. In spite of all the authority invested in him by the Church, Fr. Lampert said it comes down to a person’s willingness to reach out to God. “There’s no magic involved,” he said. “I bring in the power and glory of Jesus Christ, but most of the time, people treat us like magicians.  They want us to fix the problem but they want no skin in the game.” According to him, people wanting relief from evil need to grow in faith.  “If they are not going to change anything about their life, then throwing holy water at them and praying will do nothing,” he said. “They have to be willing to pray and draw closer to God.” Faith is the key to life, Fr. Lampert said, and with faith, we need not fear evil. “The power of God is greater than the power of evil. I don’t carry a bag of tricks with me, I bring the power and authority of Jesus Christ that he has given to his Church.” If we stay away from the occult, go to Mass, have faith in God, and pray, Fr. Lampert said that we are protected and even a curse will bounce off us.  “The devil is already on the run if you are going to church and especially if you are receiving Communion.” 
 
Ways to Protect Yourself 

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• Do not fear evil, but always choose to avoid it! Don’t go looking for trouble or you will find more than you bargained for. 

• Keep your mind on God and his angels and saints. If you are stressing about evil, you are probably not spending enough time and energy on God. 

• Live a good Catholic life. Frequent the sacraments, which draw you closer to God and strengthen your soul with sacramental graces. If you are in the state of mortal sin, run to confession and vow to change your life. 

• Forgive others. Don’t let anger and resentment open you to evil influences. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those…” 

• Pray the rosary. The Blessed Mother is a powerful protector and intercessor. 

• Wear a scapular. 

• Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to push back evil and open God’s floodgate of mercy. 

• Use sacramentals. Hang a crucifix in your home. Wear blessed medals such as a Saint Benedict Medal, and Catherine Labouré’s Miraculous Medal. Use holy water to bless yourself and rooms. (Fill a bottle at church.) The blessings that a priest puts on the water extends through the holy water. 

• Pray often. A holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament is very powerful. Use prayers of protection especially the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel. 

• Read the Bible and good Catholic books. 

• Call a priest if you think you are encountering something disturbing and feel you need help. 

     

     You may not be catholic; you may not be religious. You may not believe in God at all. Now if you are not a believer in God or Christ. Look to whatever supreme power you believe in for protection. 

 

Child Spirits 

 

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M INTERACTING WITH A CHILD SPIRIT? 

     You can usually recognize a child’s spirit by their energy and playfulness. Despite being highly communicative, it often takes time to build trust with these spirits. Much like children in the physical world, they can be shy, afraid, or unsure of who to trust. Once you have established trust with a child spirit, most are very playful and talkative. These spirits don’t connect with just anyone. They will want to establish a trusting relationship first. 

 

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM A CHILD SPIRIT? 

     More mischievous child spirits will play. They might move objects, play games of hide and seek, or make sounds. When they do present themselves, they will often present themselves as polished as possible. They want to look presentable, which is often why you might see child spirits in their Sunday best with a neat appearance. Depending on what the child perceives as ‘presentable’ they might be in a special outfit or costume. Some people find this unsettling, but according to many interpretations of interacting with child spirits from paranormal experts around the world, the children want to look their best to make a good impression in hopes of getting help. 

 

WHAT DO THEY WANT? 

     Unfortunately, many child spirits are lost or confused. Especially if the death was caused by a traumatic event, the child might not know they are deceased and therefore don’t know what is going on or what they need to do next. Another reason a child’s spirit could be bound to the physical world is their connection to family or loved ones. When there is overwhelming grief due to their passing, spirits often stay close to watch over them or try to connect with them. When the living can’t get past a death, neither can the spirit according to some paranormal investigators. In some cases, these child spirits stay bound to the grief even when their loved ones pass and move on. 

Other children spirits are simply afraid to move on. If their death was accidental where the child was doing something they shouldn’t be doing, they carry guilt and worry that they will get in trouble. These spirits aren’t prepared to move on because they are afraid of what will happen next, much like a child in the physical world might try to hide a mess or deny doing something wrong for fear of getting in trouble. 

 

WHAT DO I NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF? 

     We mentioned at the beginning of this blog that you should be very careful when interacting with child spirits. It is human nature to be more sensitive and nurturing with children. Much like seeing a child lost in the supermarket or wandering around on their own, it is our natural instinct to reach out and help the child. The danger comes from spirits and negative energy knowing that weakness we have as humans. Some malicious spirits will present themselves as children to gain trust. It is critical to be careful and not let your guard down too much with any spirit, specifically a child spirit you think might be an imposter spirit. 

 

HOW COMMON ARE CHILD SPIRITS? 

     You might have more experience with child spirits than you think. In general, as people we accept young kids playing with or talking to imaginary friends. Many experts believe that these imaginary friends aren’t imaginary at all. It’s widely accepted that children are more sensitive to spirits than adults and could be interacting with child spirits adults aren’t sensitive to. There are many types of spirits, but children are very communicative, so chances of coming into contact with one are relatively high if you are an active paranormal investigator. These are just a few points to remember when communicating with children spirits. As with all investigations, be aware that each spirit has a different personality. Protect yourself and the spirits you interact with by staying aware and guarding yourself. 

 

(Carrying out an Investigation)

 

Preparing for an Investigation 

 

Be Prepared 

     Before you embark on your ghost hunting adventure, make sure you have all the necessary supplies. For a beginning ghost hunt, you’ll need a pen and paper to keep track of any paranormal observations, a camera, a flashlight with plenty of batteries and, if possible, a mobile phone for use in emergencies or to track time. You will also want to dress appropriately for your excursion by wearing comfortable shoes or bringing a jacket. More advanced ghost hunters can purchase higher quality materials, such as video cameras, audio recorders or digital laser thermometers, to locate sources of energy. Since this equipment can be pricey, beginners should test the waters with basic gear before investing lots of time and money. 

 

Do Your Research 

     Even if you’re investigating your own home, it’s a good idea to research a particular location’s haunted history. You can prepare yourself for potential challenges and learn more about the paranormal sightings in an area. For example, if sightings commonly occur in the evening, you’ll know to plan your ghost hunt around that time. You might even find a few pictures of orb backscatter in your research, where a camera’s flash picks up invisible spirits and auras. Most paranormal interactions take place near battlefields, forts, cemeteries, schools and houses, so you’ll want to check out these locations in your area first. 

 

Never Investigate Alone.  

     Ghost hunts are not only much more fun with a group, but they’re also much safer. You never know what kind of ghouls you’ll encounter, so bringing a buddy or two is advised. Take special precautions in secluded areas or at night since the terrain might be unfamiliar and your sight may be impaired in the dark. Plus, if you spot some frightening phantoms, you’ll be able to prove you’re not crazy since all your friends will have seen them as well! 

 

Always Ask Permission 

     If you’re investigating property that isn’t your own, always ask permission. It’s often best to have the property owner give written consent to avoid any legal troubles due to trespassing. If a property owner doesn’t want you to ghost hunt in a particular area, there’s probably a good reason! To be on the safe side, don’t forget your personal ID if you need identification at any point during your adventure. 

 

Be Safe and Cautious 

     Safety during a ghost hunt is very important. If you’re well prepared and research the best ghost hunting locations beforehand, your exploration should be exciting and safe. In order to err on the side of caution, you may want to bring a first aid kit with at least bandages and antibiotic ointment to accompany your ghost hunting party. Safe and cautious ghost hunters won’t disturb any angry spirits and will have a more enjoyable adventure overall. After reading these tips, you are equipped to investigate the haunted happenings in your home or elsewhere. Learning more about a site’s history and the people who lived there is a memorable experience for all ages. 

 

     Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures during your expedition to document paranormal sightings and remember your first ghost hunting adventure! 

 

The Walkthrough and Baseline Readings 

 

     Once you have completed the initial interview have the team do a complete walkthrough of the area. Keeping in mind the specifics from the interview, look inside and outside the structure. Take pictures. Make note of anything you need to check that may have a possible influence during your investigation and possibly on the events revealed to you. 

 

     Check the area out. Is it an urban or rural area? Each have their own specific features. Is it a quiet or noisy neighborhood? Are there hydro poles around? What’s the traffic like? Are there just cars or are there buses and heavy trucks that go by. What kind of lighting is in the area? 

You need to know if the location is in good repair. Are the windows drafty? Are there squeaky floors? Are there noisy or unbalanced doors? Do you notice any temperature changes or electrical problems? How is the plumbing? Are the appliances noisy? Is there an animal or insect infestation? 

 

     This is also the time you’ll want to get your technical readings on the home. This is especially true with EMF. Most other factors will change constantly. Temperature, Humidity, Pressure etc. But you can get a pretty good idea on what the normal EMF is in the location. 

Another piece of the baseline you may want to consider if one is available is having a sensitive or medium walk through prior to an investigation. This could give you some insight as to what may be ahead of you before conducting your investigation. 

 

Eliminating outside influences 

 

     It is very easy thus common to mistake natural occurrences for being paranormal. The very tools we use in investigating the paranormal can easily be rendered useless depending on how we manage our outside influences. In audio recordings, whispering, talking from other areas of the building, and other human inaudible sounds such as coughing, sneezing, grunting etc., can all be mistaken for being paranormal. Cameras both digital and video can also be falsely influenced. Shadows are the most common. Flashlight beams, movements, again sound in the case of video cams, etc. can all effect the cameras.  

     What a paranormal team should do so they can minimize false exposure is to greatly minimize the number of investigators in a location at a time. The exception to this is in much larger buildings where there are multiple floors 3 or more. You never want to have investigators on floors adjacent to each other. You always want a floor between the teams. This will eliminate hearing the ceiling above creaking above where another team may be walking, and talking etc.  

     In some situations, much older buildings are built where the walls are thin. Or over the years the walls have deteriorated to the point where the insulating integrity has been compromised. In these situations, even the people outside may actually be heard plainly from inside the building. The remaining team outside should be aware of this and keep their movements, voices etc. To an extreme minimum. 

If by chance noises are made, it’s always a good practice to mark the noise you made by announcing you made that noise. If was especially loud, where you feel that others may have heard it, you may want to announce on the radio so other teams can mark it. 

 

Capturing Quality EVPs 

 

     Recording an EVP, or Electronic Voice Phenomena, is done using an analogue or a digital voice recorder. To ensure you will have sufficient time for your EVP session(s) it is always best to have fresh batteries installed and extra batteries in case of a battery drain. 

     

     For a digital recorder, verify the date and time settings and correct them as needed. For an analogue recorder, open a new cassette package and insert it into the recorder. To eliminate cross-contamination of EVP sessions, only use one side of the cassette tape. 

Recording EVP 

 

     The recorder should be placed on a flat surface away from as many obstructions as possible. Place the recorder away from doors, windows, vents, or any opening that could allow outside sounds to enter. Make sure the area is quiet by turning off things like radios and TVs. 

When you have a location that may be active, you have the choice of leaving your recorder on but unattended or trying to interact with the spirit. Always start the recording by noting the date and time verbally. 

 

     If you decide to leave the recorder running alone, leave the room and mark the entrance with tape. Instruct the team members not to enter room, but if they must, to announce their entrance and departure with the time and to make sure they replace the tape when they leave. 

To interact with a spirit during a recording session instruct everyone present to remain as still as possible. Ask questions with at least a 10 second pause in between. Continue on to more specific questions if desired. If anybody makes a noise during the recording, ask them to comment in a normal voice with their name and that it was them that made the noise. 

 

     You may wish to make a general tour of a location and just randomly sweep for EVP activity. Walk and tour the location while holding the recorder away from your body to reduce movement noise. It is always a good idea to indicate the room you are entering as you are moving through it. Ask questions if desired. If any unexplained noises happen during the recording, verbally note and describe them with the time. When you are finished recording, state note the date and time and stop the recording. 

Keeping Track of Your EVPs 

 

     If you are using an analogue recorder remove the recording media, mark it with the date and time and remove the erase-protection tabs. If using a device with internal memory, “Memory protect” the file in the recorder. Note the type of recorder used and the date and the time on a worksheet. If the media is downloaded to a PC, note the file names on a worksheet. Keep your media in a safe place for future reference. 

 

Trigger Objects 

 

     Trigger objects can increase the probability of a ghostly encounter. They are simply any object that has personal meaning to the spirit or its time period. Ideally, you want to have an idea who the suspected ghost is. This will let you pick something that resonates with the ghost. Otherwise, you can select an object from the time period of the suspected ghost, but those general trigger objects don’t work as well. Let’s learn about using trigger objects on your investigations. 

     Research Haunted Place And Suspected Ghosts Before You Pick A Trigger Object Your research will help find a ghost’s suspected identity and your questions should try to confirm that. Trigger objects work best when there’s a connection to the place or spirit. This doesn’t mean the object is haunted: It just means the spirit will know what the object is. For example, if you used an iPhone while investigating a ghost town from the 1860s, the spirit wouldn’t ‘know’ the object and it wouldn’t interact with it. 

     If you can get something that belonged to the spirit, it will really improve your chances of interacting with it. If you can’t, use an object from the time period. Ghostly Activities tends to use objects from the time period, like a bell, because most spirits know how to make one chime. Toys and dolls work best for suspected child spirits. Your research should lead you to questions you want to ask. While trigger objects are used for ghostly interactions, they can also double as EVP sessions. You may not see any physical movement, but you could record ghostly voices. And that’s evidence you want to capture. 

 

Common Trigger Objects 

Closer view of child’s toys used as trigger objects. Some of the most common trigger objects include: 

• Coins 

• Bells 

• Jacks 

• Dolls 

• Teddy bears (Boo Buddies work too) 

• Playing cards 

• Dice 

• Compass 

 

     Most ghosts will know what these things are and will engage with them. Many newer ghost hunters will put out an EMF meter, EDI or their smart phone, and expect a ghost to touch. Well, they won’t. They have no idea what they are, so you’d scare the ghost away. Go low tech for trigger objects, but high tech to collect evidence. 

 

Experiments to Run with Trigger Objects 

     Trigger objects are for engagement, so your questions should focus on the ghost moving them. That just means you’ll reframe your question from a Yes/No EVP to tapping a compass once for Yes and twice for No. This statement applies more for adult ghosts. With child spirits, you may ask it to play with a teddy bear or jacks, and see what happens. 

 

Trigger Object Setup 

     Don’t make the experiment area cluttered. You can place the object in the middle of the room and keep back at least five feet. If you use jacks, dice or coins, use chalk to draw a circle around each one. This is so you can measure any movements. 

Around the trigger object, place other ghostly measurement devices like digital audio recorders, EMF meters, thermometers and geophones. These will capture manifestation observations to complement your engagement session. 

 

Questions and Interactions 

     With your research in hand, you should have a list of 10-20 questions to ask. Remember to have the spirit use movement to answer Yes/No questions. It’s OK to repeat the questions if you don’t get a physical interaction. The other equipment may pick something interesting up. 

If you didn’t find anything to ask from your research, you can ask generic questions to help narrow down the ghost’s identity. Some examples include: 

• “Are you male?” 

• “Does your name start with a J?” 

• “Are you 30 years-old?” 

     

     The goal is to get some info to identify the suspected ghost and some killer evidence. 

Recording Trigger Object Sessions 

     

     Video is the best option. I record most sessions using full spectrum light, but you can use a normal light or infrared light, too. At the end of the day, if you capture the objects moving, it’s a success. You can set the camera to zoom in on the object to not only to see if it moves, but to capture changes on the other instruments. Most sessions last about 30 minutes. 

 

Expectations 

     It’s rare you capture any movements. It may happen during 1-in-20 experiments. These sessions take a lot of energy for ghosts and they may not be strong enough to move the trigger objects. BUT you may get EVP, geophone data, EMF changes and/or temperature changes. That’s pretty good data to have. 

 

Analyzing Evidence 

 

     The investigation is over and now comes the time to look at all the evidence you have gathered.  In front of you, you have written notes, audio, video, digital photos, and maybe even film photos.  It’s a daunting task and is probably the most time-consuming part of your investigation.  Each investigator should analyze their own evidence, however, not everyone can take the time needed. 

     Do your analysis in a quiet room with no people or distractions (if possible). Take your time reviewing your files.  It is a good idea to have at least two people going over the data.  That way you can ask them for verification if you find something interesting or even have them go over an item you’ve looked at or listened to for anything you may have missed. 

 

Transfer all your digital files to a computer.   

     Note the medium and the date and time each file covers.  Your photos contain this information and can be found if you look at their properties. 

 

• Audio - Audacity or AVS Audio Editor are a couple of good free audio analyzers you can download.  Using headphones while listening will remove outside interferences and allow you to hear any possible EVPs clearer and with more precision.  If you hear something, note the time, date and time stamp so you can easily find it again.  Use the programs to cut and copy snippets of conversations that you can clean up. 

 

• Video - AVS Video Editor is another great free program to use when analyzing your data.  Video analysis is time consuming and hard on the eyes.  It is recommended that you do your visual analysis in short bursts to give your eyes a rest.  Tired eyes can miss evidence.  If you see an activity you believe could be paranormal, document the time, date and time stamp on the program.  Cut and copy the section for a more precise analysis. 

 

• Photos - Use a graphics program to view your photos.  Use the zoom feature to examine areas of interest.  If you have film photos, use a magnifying glass to inspect the finer details.  Make sure you look at the whole picture from edge-to-edge and top to bottom.  Anomalies don’t just happen in the middle of the picture.  Before you start manipulating a picture, save a copy and work on that one. 

 

Cross-check any possible evidence between the three mediums.    

     If you catch an EVP on audio find the same spot on your video file to see if you can hear it there.  If you hear an EVP on your video compare it with your audio file.  You might be lucky and get video evidence to go along with the EVP.  If your pictures capture an anomaly it may be possible to find the same frame in your video file.  This is where documenting the date and time will help you find the spot easier.  Use your video programs’ frame-by-frame feature to narrow it down. 

 

Remember, don’t rush your analysis. Take your time.  If there is something there you will find it. 

 

 

(A Paranormal Team)

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How to find an existing group. 

 

Facebook – You can go on Facebook and search for paranormal groups in your area. Although this is usually the best way to find groups, not always will they be accepting new members. However, this method gives you a chance to really get to know the team and to see how they operate and what their activity level is. 

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Google Search – You can also Google search paranormal groups in your area. This will result in listing Facebook Group pages and websites to local groups. Many groups may have a “Join Us” option on their website. Or at least have available a contact us form. You may reach out to them this way. 

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Paranormal Societies Dot Com - The next way is to use a directory-based site called paranormal societies. You can search regions states etc. for groups in your area. You can go to paranormalsocieties.com to search this directory. 

When searching for a group/team to join, there are some things to assess prior to just jumping into it. First of all, teams must click with each other. They need to work closely together. This is the number one reason for break ups. Next, know your own ethical values. Does this group ride within this boundary? Make sure you are a good fit for the team, and the team is a good fit for you. It must go both ways or something is bound to go wrong down the road. 

 

Conduct on a Team 

 

Appropriate Dress Code:  

     Although common policy is casual clothing, please dress appropriately while on an investigation or while you are representing the team. Acceptable clothing includes, polo shirts, t-shirts that are in good condition, hoodies, sweatshirts, sweaters, jeans, length appropriate shorts, skirts and dresses. Please make sure that t-shirts and hoodies are appropriate and do not include any language or content that could be seen as offensive or inappropriate for a work environment. 

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Integrity:  

     Your actions should show that you have strong moral principles, that you are ethical on investigations, and that you respect other teammates and their clients. Their clients are their customers, and contact with them should remain professional and ethical. Friendly conversations or asking questions about the case and property are acceptable. Please refrain from having personal or intimate conversations. 

Representing the Brand:  

You are a part of a team and need to keep in mind that you represent their brand. While investigating or during meetings it is not acceptable to be under the influence of any recreational drugs or alcohol. This can result in immediate dismissal from any good ethical team. 

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Respect and Privacy: 

     You must respect their clients wishes and choices even though the team may not agree. You must respect their clients and other's religious beliefs. You must respect other's time (be timely to meetings and investigations). Remember that you and the team must receive permission to release or discuss any specific information regarding an investigation, specific locations, or any personal information about their clients (to include photographs, video, social media, voice recordings, etc.). 

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Professionalism:   

     Please remember that you are an investigator first and foremost. You and the team utilize scientific equipment and your individual gift to investigate and find truth for ourselves and our clients. Your main goal is to prove what you are sensing, feeling, or experiencing. Inappropriate behavior includes, screaming or cursing loudly during an investigation, not being engaged during meetings or investigations, or making claims in front of their clients without evidence or conformation with team mates. 

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Others: 

     This is a minimum guideline to follow. However, teams have their own code. They may have additional codes than what has been outlined here for you. If you follow these simple guidelines, you will not go wrong in most teams.