Lou’s View – Aug. 6, 2015
Do’s and Don’ts of Ghost Hunting
by Lou Bernard
If you’re any kind of regular reader of my column, you know that I’m a paranormal investigator. I look into haunted places with the Lock Haven Paranormal Seekers, a local team that can be reached at LHPS@lhparanormal.com. If you’re new to my column, it’s been almost twenty minutes since I mentioned ghost hunting, so it’s probably time to write about it again.
Our team makes every effort to be reliable and professional. We try to be scientific, and bring back measurable, provable evidence. With well-done paranormal investigation, it’s all about what you can learn and prove. I’ve written about this, I’ve given speeches on it, and I even have a class about it for Teen Paranormal, the teenaged group I run at the library. (Which is recruiting, if you know any teenagers.)
In spite of all this, I still get people coming up to me saying things like,”My house is definitely haunted! I know because I saw some similar stuff on TV.”
Which is why I’m writing this handy little guide to ghost-hunting, listing some of the things you should and should not be doing, or asking a team to do.
DO: Look for teams or individuals who are reliable, scientific, and professional. Good ghost-hunters will never jump to conclusions or let their imaginations run away with them. A good investigator will always rule out normal explanations first—For instance, if there are noises in the hallway, we’ll always check for loose boards, wind, or rodents before deciding it might be a ghost. And if we find evidence, it’s always measurable and provable—We’ll have a CD with sounds on it, or photographs. We won’t just as you to take us on faith.
DO NOT: Take things on faith, or trust anyone who does. Some people say they can sense ghosts and get messages from them. I can say I’m dating Sandra Bullock, and you wouldn’t believe me without proof, either. When you have a choice between the guy who can show you documents and photos, or the person who says “I have a feeling….This place is very haunted,” you go with the person who can prove it.
DO: Be respectful and follow the law. Ask permission before going on private property, or wait to be invited. Getting arrested for trespassing does nothing for your credibility.
DO NOT: Trespass, break into abandoned buildings, or break the law in any way. There’s an old church in Centre County that’s rumored to be haunted by a preacher who committed murder. The people who live nearby are so sick of ghost-hunters that they’re herding them away at gunpoint, and I honestly can’t blame them. I wouldn’t want a bunch of people trampling through my yard without permission, especially since the preacher story isn’t true. Which brings me to….
DO: Do your research. Check the history of a building you’ve been invited to investigate. I’ve had people insist that a certain local building is haunted because a woman committed suicide there, in spite of the fact that it actually happened down the street. Check to see what happened in a location, who lived and died there.
DO NOT: Believe rumor and half-recalled stories that people “think they remember.” The documentation is there; use it. People forget things, people misremember, and sometimes people just flat-out believe stupid rumors.
DO: Use some critical thinking skills. Always check other, non-paranormal possibilities first. Stop and think things through. For all the devices you may carry—Cameras, recorders, thermometers—The best gadget you have is with you all the time, encased within your skull.
DO NOT: Believe the stupid rumors I mentioned in the above paragraph. Orbs are generally just dust in a photo, no matter how badly you want to believe they’re a ghost. Gravity hills—a hill where an alleged car crash happened, creating a haunting—Are mostly made up and spread through dumb rumor. By doing your research the way I mentioned above, you can avoid falling victim to those. Don’t let your imagination run away with you.
Paranormal investigation has the potential for a lot of fun and discovery, if done right. If done irresponsibly, it has the potential to make people look foolish, and lead to legal and credibility problems.
Make sure you’re one of the ones who does it right.
