Paranormal 101
Ghost Hunt ~ looking for ghosts where no activity has been reported.
Paranormal Investigation ~ investigating a location that has reported paranormal activity.
Types of Hauntings ~There are many different types of hauntings. However, the two that we generally deal with are:
Intelligent ~ These are spirits that are aware of and interact with you. Interaction can be in the form of knocks or bangs in response to questions, touching, EVP responses, etc.
Residual ~ This is when a haunting is caused by energy that has been left behind and plays back over and over, much like a tape recording played on a loop.
Vocabulary Words ~ Here are some common words that you will come across while dealing with the paranormal and investigations:
Anomaly - Something that cannot be explained.
Apparition - Visual representation of a spirit. A ghostly appearing figure.
Cold Spots - Areas of cool air found in haunted locations.
EMF (Electromagnetic Field or Electromagnetic Frequency) - A combination of electrical and magnetic fields. EMF fields are commonly measured as part of the ghost hunting process.
Entity - Any being, including people and ghosts.
EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) -The act of capturing and recording disembodied voices and sounds not heard by the naked ear.
Ghost - A entity or spirit that visits or remains in our world after death.
Ghost Hunters - People who investigate haunted places to find explanations for unexplained activity.
Haunting/Haunted - A location where there appears to be significant paranormal activity. Often includes a combination of cold spots, apparitions, missing objects, and other repeated phenomenon witnessed by several people which leads to the location getting a reputation for this activity.
Manifestation - The physical, auditory, olfactory, and visual signs of a haunting.
Orbs - Spheres of translucent light, usually appearing in photographs. Orbs are controversial as many investigators believe they represent spirits or ghosts and others believe they are nothing more than a light anomaly.
Paranormal - Anything outside what is considered normal. Often used to describe ghosts, UFO’s and other phenomena that defy traditional scientific explanations.
Poltergeist - a type of spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. A noisy, usually mischievous ghost.
Guidelines For Investigating ~ As with most things, there are some Do's and Don't s regarding your investigation. Here are those that Spirited Investigation uses when we investigate:
Do Not Trespass ~ Ask for permission before entering any private property. Trespassing, under Nevada law (NRS 207.200), is classified as a misdemeanor offense, punishable by a potential jail term of up to six months and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Do Not Investigate Alone ~ Ghost hunting is most often done at night and in places that aren't populated. You never know who or what you might run into while investigating so it stands to reason that you always ghost hunt with a friend.
Do Not Smoke, Wear Perfume or Scented Deodorant ~ Your five senses are some of the best investigating equipment you have. Keeping this in mind, you want to walk into your investigation as a clean slate. Any scent brought in can compromise your evidence. I personally have experienced the smell of cigar smoke, cigarette smoke and roses during an investigation.
Do Not Be Disruptive During Investigation ~ This is not to say that we don't have fun during our investigations. There is plenty of that! However, while doing an EVP session or conducting an Estes Session, there needs to be a minimum amount of chit chat. Any excess noise can compromise our evidence. Also, if the spirits feel that you really are interested in what they have to say, I feel they will be more forthcoming. Also, horsing around can cause injury and that is something that nobody wants to deal with...especially me as it means paperwork ;)
No Drugs or Alcohol ~ Spirited Investigations is very strict about this. So many things can go wrong when drugs or alcohol is used just prior to or during an investigation. Our primary concern is physical injury. You may become aware of paranormal activity where there is none. You need to be able to rely on your senses and the negative energy could also connect you with something that you do not want to be in contact with.
BE RESPECTFUL ~ Spirited Investigations DOES NOT, under any circumstances, allow the provocation of spirits! We know that there are famous ghost hunters that do provoke, and some think it's the thing to do. First, I feel it is just rude to be disrespectful to the resident spirits. We are going onto their turf and asking them to communicate with us. By being disrespectful one is going to get one of two things: No response to our efforts to communicate OR a very negative response to being disrespected.
One thing I always do when investigating is to either introduce myself or say, "Hi, we're back with a new group today." I might chat about the weather or ask if they are going to be chatty - whatever. I talk to them as if they are standing right in front of me. When we leave for the night, I always make sure to say thank you and goodbye. You might also try inviting the spirits to be in your pictures. Explain that you are going to take pictures, ask if that is OK and then invite them to participate.