Ghosthunting 101
GHOSTHUNTING 101 BY TPIS
Why Ghosts Are Here
It is believed that when a person dies, there might be certain reasons why they refuse to enter the light and go to the Other Side. So by not going, even upon the urging of their Guardian Angels, Spirit Guides, and Loved Ones who have also passed, they remain stuck in a dimension where time and space does not exist, a place where they can at times interact with the physical world and in their own mind-set. Although without a physical body, their emotions, personality and ego are all highly active and exhibit that just like you and I.
Possible Reasons
They may just not realize or believe that they are dead. Perhaps a sense of denial.
In a case where a person died in a violent manner, they might seek the need for justice.
They might have an emotional attachment to a person, object, animal, home or land and feel unable to leave those things behind.
Fear. They might feel that they are not worthy to go to "heaven". Sometimes one will think that they have sinned terribly in this life and the place that is waiting for them is a fiery cavern. This type has to be the saddest, for they obviously don't feel worthy of God's Love.
Unfinished business, family. They might feel that they weren't ready to go yet. There are things that need to be done, people to tend to.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GHOST AND A SPIRIT
Sometimes a loved one will return for a brief moment to confirm that they are okay. This is not a ghost, nor a haunting. Sometimes loved ones who pass over will come and visit us in times of crisis, need or even celebration. Again this is not a haunting of a ghost. Acknowledge their presence and be grateful to your experience. Some will encounter Angels, Spirit Guides, or Teachers. These too are not ghosts, but entities whose mission is to be of service to you and humanity.
Types of Hauntings
Residual Haunting A playback of a tragic event, over and over again. The motions leading up to the event and the moment of death itself just repeats itself continuously, emotions and all.
Dark Energy: It seems the more you believe in this aspect the more real it becomes in your own world. But I feel something needs to be said. Yes, there is darker, negative energy out there. Its rare to encounter, but it is possible. This is why protective prayer is so essential when you are seeking from outside your physical reality. If you do encounter something, Say something to the effect, "What in Jesus Christ's Name Do You Want?" Nine times out of ten, it will leave. In that slim chance that it doesn't leave, Command it to go. Call on the energies of your Religious beliefs. If need be contact your clergy for a blessing, either for yourself, family, home or all. This almost always helps.
Some Ghost Lore
- Crossroads- Ancient roads that intersect, create bundles of energies, like in a portal. Maybe its easier for them to come and go at a crossroads!
- It is thought that silver jewelry is the favorite metal of ghosts. It is associated with the moon, and remember the silver bullet!
- All Hallow's Eve is said to be the time when the veil between the world is at their thinnest. Easier for ghosts and spirits to make themselves known!
Animals can sense the presence of a ghost way before us. Watch if your four-legged is looking at the ceiling and around the room as though it is following a moving object!
GHOST WEATHER
The current weather activity is posted on our home page.
The earths geomagnetic fields and solar flares seem to affect ghostly activities. When there is a natural disturbance in these fields, it seems like it makes it easier for those in spirit form to make themselves known in one way or another. A geomagnetic disturbance called a "storm" can engulf the earth in charged particles, thus making it a good opportunity to go ghost hunting.
So by checking the ghost weather, you can be alert to changes in the earths fields and take the opportunity to do investigations. But don't take our word for it, go out and document your findings. You will find that you will come up with a pattern of some sort. Happy Hunting!
LUNAR CYCLES:
The day of the Full Moon and 3 days before and 3 days after it seem to be the most active time of the month. For ages, the full moon has been associated with werewolves and spectral sightings. Even affecting the living in mannerisms and behavior. Whether its just folklore or the affect the Lunar Rays really have on us, its still worth checking out. Here's another opportunity to document your findings and see what you come up with!
The Psychic Hours:
The Psychic Hours are the hours between 3am and 6 am. This is the most active times of the day for ghost activity. Maybe its because the earth is so quiet, with most of its inhabitants in the dream world. This time is also reported with many strange occurances like something jarring you out of a deep sleep, alien sightings, Out-Of-Body Reports, sleep-walking, etc.
GHOSTHUNTING TIPS
Never trespass. Watch for posted and trespassing signs. Always ask for permission before entering someones property. Trespassing will only get you into trouble.
Be Careful! Watch your stepping, And please carry a flashlight so that you can see where you are walking! Do not go on a hunt or investigation and fall because of your own negligence. You will ruin it for other serious ghoshunters and groups - who will want you on their property if they think they will be held responsible for your falling, getting physically hurt or damaging your equipment.
Please leave the area exactly as you found it. Put your trash where it belongs. And No Horse Play!
Do not go out alone. You should have at least one other person with you. This will provide a little bit of safety and will have someone else witness strange occurances.
Tell someone outside of your group where you will be, for safety reasons.
Have your ID with you. If stopped by the police they are going to ask to see it, this is shared by experience. *wink*
Sometimes it might be necessary to contact the police if you will be in a certain area. Sometimes neighbors of cemeteries, historical locations are keeping a watchful eye for vandals etc. So its good to give the police a heads up on where you will be!
Be truthful with the information you get from your investigations. Be honest.
Test your equipment before you leave.
Do not go directly to a site at night without checking it out during the daylight hours first. This is to check out the sorroundings as well as the actual area you will be in. Be on the look out for holes in the ground, etc.
DO NOT SMOKE, USE ALCOHOL OR DO DRUGS before or during an investigation. This alters you in every way and makes you more open to the more negative energies out there. And the smoke will affect your photos, except to the trained eye.
Do not wear colognes or perfumes. You might miss the faint scent that a ghost might have, such as their own perfume, cologne, pipe etc.
Do not forget to wear a watch, you will need it to record the time if any thing out of the ordinary happens.
Do not whisper, talk in a regular tone of voice. Whispering is alot harder to determine if it's an actual evp recording or not.
Always do research on the place you are going to. Especially if this is at a private residence. Know as many facts before heading out. You have to rule out every other explanation to determine if a true haunting is actually occuring. This is also passed on from experience. *wink*
Do not use headlights as a main source of light. Really, it wouldn't be fun to have to find someone to jump your car - especially on some back road in the middle of the night.
Always bring a flashlight.
Do not forget extra batteries. This is a necessity. High energy of ghost activity will affect ALL batteries, draining them just as fast as you can change them!
Ask the spirits of the dead for permission to take their photos. Sometimes they will smile for you!
NO OUIJA BOARDS or SEANCES! This is not a game. There could be serious ramifications!
Say a Protective Prayer and/or do a Protective Meditation for yourself and instruct everyone involved in a ghosthunt or investigation to do it too. This has nothing to do with religion or any type of religious background. We have some prayers on this site or use what you feel comfortable with. When doing this type of work, you are putting yourself out there for just about anything. Think of the protection as a guard against negative spirits, heck it works pretty good for the negative that are in the living form too!
Always conduct your investigations in a professional manner.
Do not take photos when it is raining, snowing, when someone is smoking, around car exhaust, on dusty dirt roads and please DO NOT TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR BREATH! This is a common mistake for the beginner. In the cold months, snap the camera away from your face and hold your breath. The more experienced eye can tell the difference, but why have to second-guess a photo?
Remove all dust and fingerprints from camera lens and do not get your fingers in the way of the lens.
Keep long hair and camera straps away from the lens. Again, it could be mistaken for an anomoly.
Always pay attention to your feelings. Do not rely just on your equipment.
Go to the area that you are interested in during the day and check it out so you can become familiar with it.
You can go during the day also, if a place is haunted at night, it will be in the day too.
Keep a log and make sure to log in things if they should happen, use every detail.
Always go with an open mind.
Find out the history of the place you are going.
Remember, investigating a supposedly haunted site, means that you have to rule out each and every other plausible explanation, such as duct work, hot water heaters, pipes, the wind, critters, etc. Research, Document and Ask Questions
Really, this is just common sense mixed in with a little of things that we have learned along the way. Just remember to be respectful, be serious and view each ghosthunt or investigation as a fun, learning experience!
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GHOSTHUNT AND AN INVESTIGATION:
When you are at a place that does not have any claim of ghostly activity, you are out seeking to find a ghost,in other words, ghosthunting. When on an investigation you are there to follow-up on known claims of a sighting, haunting, etc. and researching and documenting along the way.
WHAT TO BRING ON AN INVESTIGATION OR A GHOSTHUNT:
Necessesities to Have At a Ghost Hunt or Investigation:
*ID. Alway have your identification with you. Local Authorities may ask to see it.
*Bring a FlashLight with spare batteries and bulbs. Ghost and UFO activity may drain the power from any type of energy source.
*Wear Darker, Non-Reflective Clothing. This is good for others in the group who are taking pictures.
*Bring your Common Sense and Your Intuition.
The Basics:
*Camera with a Flash.400 and 800 Speeds work best
*NoteBook and Pen
*Tape Recorder with an external microphone
*Compass
*Watch with a Second Hand
*2 Way Radio
*ZipLock Baggies or Clear Containers for Obtainable Evidence
*Lots of Extra Batteries, Film, Cassette Tapes
*First Aid Kit
Additional Equipment - Not Necessary, But Good to Have:
*Thermometer - A Digital, Infrared is Recommended
*Video Camera - With NightShot and/or Infrared Capabilities
*Tripod for Camera and/or Video Camera
*EMF Detector
*Digital Audio Recorder
*Motion Detector
*Infrared Security Monitor with Recording Capabilities
*Sonic or Parabolic Ear Piece
*Dowsing Rods and/or Pendulum
*Barometer
*Night Vision Scope
*Audio Analyzing Software
*There are other pieces of equipment that can be quite expensive. We have not worked with these. As money is a factor for these items, it may take some time before we are able to purchase them. We have read up on many of them and are familiar with their usage concerning a paranormal investigation.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT:
EMF DETECTOR:
The ElectroMagnetic Field Detector detects and measures the magnetic fields of the area. They are quite sensitive and you have to be careful around obvious electric appliances, wires, cables etc. Because these will "set them off". The needles will go crazy, it'll start flashing and beeping. However, if you're in the middle of a cemetery, and you know there are no electrical disturbances around, it just might be a ghostly entity causing the disturbance. As ghosts seem to affect the emf's.
Non Contact Infrared Thermal Gun
A Fancy name for an Infared Thermometer. The ones we have are RayTec. They're digital and take instant temperatures. They are wonderful at picking up the rapid change in temperature. Ghosts will affect the temperature, cold spots and sometimes, hot spots.
Barometers, Hygrometers, Outdoor Thermometers
The little digital ones with memory are great and they are reasonably priced. Sets a good base reading and can be set in other areas for a period of time.
Voice Recorders
These are simply mini-cassette recorders. Normally sold for note taking. Hook up an external microphone, speak in a normal tone of voice, and maybe you'll record a voice from the Other Side, known as EVP, electronic voice phenomenon.
TV's with a Camera
Like the ones sold for security reasons. Hook it up, watch it and you maybe you can record some ghostly happenings. You can even watch while you record! Very cool!
BEGINNING PARANORMAL PHOTOGRAPHY:
ORBS
Orbs are now very popular! They are showing up EVERYWHERE! Any ghost group, community, hobbyist will use this word when referring to a round circle seen somewhere on a photo that was not there when the picture was taken.
Some circles say that a true orb does not occur with a digital camera - something technical about the pixels not closing at the same time everytime. Okay, I can see their point, but then how do they explain orbs that show up on a regular film type camera? Does this mean that they discredit each and every digital photo, just because it was taken on a digital camera? It's very debatable with some. I respect their opinions, just respect mine!
When you start out, its important to be able to recognize a dust particle, raindrop, snowflake, dander, foggy conditions in a photo. So experiment. Intentionally photograph these things. Keep them on hand for comparing them to a possible authentic orb photo. Your best knowledge comes from yourself.
Compare the photos, make a note of distinctions from the photos, like - is there a border around the orb in question, is it solid, is it a perfect circle, does it have ragged edges etc. Once you know what everyday ordinary things look like on a photograph, then you will be able to determine the ordinary from the unordinary.
You can have one orb or hundreds of orbs in a picture. Each orb does not represent one spirit though. My theory, it take several of these orbs, "or bursts of spirit energy", to actually come together and form a mist or a ghostly image. Research and document and see what you feel about it.
ECTO
Another very popular word in the ghosthunting community. Ecto is short for the word Ectoplasm. The term Ectoplasm became popular during the Spiritualist movement. Psychics going into trance during seances would often be photographed during their sessions. Several photos appeared of a thready, long mist type emanation coming from the nose, mouth and ears. It would seem to encircle them or even form into objects or discernible faces. And now when ghosthunters get a picture of something similar, but with no psychic in a trance around, you'll hear, "I got Ecto!" If it is truly ectoplasm or not, I don't know. I do know that it is some sort of spirit energy that is trying to manifest itself. Here again, take some photos of things that could alter your photo. Like a photo of your breath. Now is a good time of the year for that..it colder and your breath shows when you breath. Take some pics of it. Take pics of cigarette smoke, car exhaust, campfire smoke, etc. Get to know the everyday, ordinary things and train your eyes to pick out the unordinary!
A Few Photography Tips
Take the strap off your camera, tie your hair back and in cold weather hold your breath when snapping the picture.
Don't take the pictures directly on a shiny object where you will pick up a lens flare. Try to capture the photo from a side angle.
Try asking the ghost energies for permission to take their pictures. Most of them like respect, just like we do. Say, "Thank You" when you are done.
They are intrigued by certain things, like a little flashing strobe light. It catches their eye. Play some music, in most cases, try to find the music that correlates to the time period of a historical event. These little things could attract the attention of a ghost or two and help you to photograph or document changes!
If using a film camera, try loading it after reaching the site. Using an auto-focus camera with auto-flash, 400 speed film works good indoors. 800 or 1000 speed film is good for after-dark pics. Black and white film is fun to work with...and if you're real clever, infrared film.
When getting the film developed, be sure to tell them you want each and every photo, even if it looks like it didn't come out. Some photo shops try to save you money by not giving you all of your pics, throwing away the "bad" ones. These "bad" ones, just might be your very "best" ghost photos!!
BEGINNING EVP- ELECTRONIC VOICE PHENOMENON
Using a cassette recorder or a digital recorder, you can record voices, sounds, animals etc., we all know that. But when you take this cassette recorder to the ghosthunt or investigation and plug-in an external microphone to it, you just might record something that your or nobody else physically heard at the time of the recording.
There are normally 4 types of voices recorded - faint whispers, loud booming voices, normal voice tones and a mechanical-sounded voice. This is why its important that everyone in the group speaks in a regular voice and note any noises that a group member might make, and also make a note of external noises that are heard, so that it will be noted on the tape during playback. You can ask questions too. You may not physically hear the responses, but during playback of the tape, you might get a little spooked the first few times you hear an answer! And always be sure to use a brand new tape each time you conduct EVP.
As time goes on we will add more info on evp's. But for now, just record using your external microphone (it really helps to cut down on the noise of the machine itself when you are playing it back) and when finished recording, Wearing headphones, listen carefully as you play the tape back. You just might be surprised!
Please keep in mind, we are not just ghosthunters, but Paranormal Investigators. We are interested in UFO's and other types of Paranormal Instances. We are also researching an old Bigfoot Sighting in the Salisbury NY area from the 1960's. If you have any information or think you may have heard of this, please contact Lisa at diamond@ppcs.net All information will be kept in strict confidence.
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