Do's and Don't of Ghost Hunting
Do's and Don't of Ghost Hunting
The first thing you will need to do is to make sure you have the right or permission to examine an area you believe to contain Spirit Energies. If camping is going to be involved, you might need to get fire permits for building campfires, or permits to post tents, etc. Being caught without these permits can be costly and WILL ruin your reputation as a professional. This is not a good thing if you are just starting out and wish to become a respected expert in this field of study.
NEVER go on ANY Ghost Hunt alone. Always have a partner with you. This can give you a feeling of extra security when odd things start to happen, such as Spirit Manifestations. And it can also come in handy if you need assistance in your examination or in case of needed medical attention. A PARTNER IS AN ABSOLUTE RULE !!!
Once the location and permits have been established, you will need to do a daylight search of the area you intend to examine. This will help you navigate the area more safely when the light has diminished during the examination. Prime times for Human Spirit Manifestations will be between 6PM and 9PM. For Malevolent Inhuman Spirit manifestations, the prime times are between 2AM and 6am with 3:30 am being absolute prime.
Set up a base camp which is not within the area of inspection. This is where you will store your equipment, food, clothing, etc. This is also where you will be able to rest, talk, and discuss your findings without contaminating you examination area, or chasing off Spirits because of noisy activity. But don't make it too far from the examination area. You will find yourself needing to return to your base camp quite often for new batteries, film, tape, etc.
If you are examining a house or building, you may use one of the rooms of the dwelling as a base. However, if there is Spirit Energies throughout the building, you might be contaminating the room you choose. So, we suggest using a tent , trailer, or motorhome outside the examination area.
Keep at least two working flashlights with you at all times. You will need this a lot as you find yourself continually working in darkness or darkened areas. Spirit Energy seems to effect anything electrical, so the extra flashlight might save you some stressful times if the area energies knock out your first flashlight. You might also consider carrying a small oil lamp in case no electrical items work properly. We usually discourage the use of such items as the dangers of "fire" items is extreme. A small bump, or dropping of a "fire" item can lead to serious disasters. So only use lamps with extreme caution. Beginners, DO NOT use ANY "fire" items. You are not prepared for frightening Spirit Manifestations and are more suseptable to being scared and dropping or knocking over "fire" items.
Another absolute piece of equipment you will ALWAYS need on your person is official ID. Drivers license or State ID is needed. If you are too young to have these items, then you are too young to be alone in this examination. Get someone to come with you who is legally an adult according to law and has proper ID in case patrols ask what you are doing. Remember, although you should always carry your Paranormal Investigator license and ID, this is not a government ID and is not always recognized by officials. Only state and federal ID is acceptable as an official document recognized by U.S. Authorities.
For success in your Paranormal examination, you must remain still, absolutely quiet, for one hour before and after dusk. This is a prime time for Spirit Manifestations to begin. This stillness is an ABSOLUTE RULE !!! Don't even whisper. Any unnecessary activity can cause Spirits to find more suitable, quiet, undisturbed areas to visit that night.
Wait until you have arrived at the examination site before you load film, audio, and video tapes. If you do this beforehand, you will find many of those you present your information to will scoff at your findings, claiming that you could have contaminated the film or tapes before you got to the examination area. Yes, skeptics will be that picky. In addition, preparing for your examination in the examination area will allow the Spirits to see what your intentions might be, and they will be more willing to cooperate, if that is their demeanor.
ALWAYS keep your log book with you at all times. Without it, you cannot keep an accurate record of every noise, movement, or manifestation. This log book is your proof of the existence of Spirits. Without it, you have nothing. And no person will take you seriously if you don't keep accurate records of EVERYTHING.
If you do see a Spirit Manifestation or an Image, do not panic. Remain still. Control your breathing. And begin to record everything about the experience. Record in your log book what the image or manifestation does, when it started, how long it lasted, when it stopped, what it says, what noises you heard during the manifestation, etc. Write everything you feel, say, think, hear, smell, and do . Make note of everything it does, says, how it looks, how it is dressed, etc. This is what makes you believable when you present your records for scrutiny. If these records are incomplete or sloppy, your reputation is damaged and you will not be taken seriously.
Do not approach manifestations unless you are willing to take the chance of them disappearing on you. Most images fade when approached. Try mapping the direction of any manifestation movement and include notes of its movement rate, direction, and duration. Make note of height, shape, colors, and density of the manifestation. And take as many photos as possible, including video. Did we mention to turn on all audio recorders. This is where having a partner really pays off.
If you have partners, have them likewise record the event in every way possible. They too must have log books to help verify your findings and experiences. Without them, its just your imagination and singular voice according to skeptics.
Make sure you have your audio recorder on at all times. Note any noises you hear during your examination, including non-Spirit ones. Make note of the time you heard it. When you later are listening to your recordings and you hear a noise, check your log book for the time you heard that noise. This will help verify you audio findings when it is also logged in your book. Are you now beginning to see the importance of your log book ?
If you believe objects in the area will be moved by Spirits, or if you have set up an examination in which you hope an item will be moved by Spirits, then remember to place a chalk circle around the item. If it is moved, then trace a line from where the item was to where it is now located. Remember to log the time of the activity, how far it traveled, how long it took to travel, and any heat recordings or other manifestations that took place in the area of the activity. Again, you must remember to log every activity you encounter. Keep the cameras, audio recorders, and video active at all times.
If strangers happen upon your research area, be as polite as possible to them. Inform them that you are involved in a very important research project and ask them it they would mind moving on. Under no circumstances are they to assist you in any way. This field is for trained personnel only. Bringing in new energies from curious, or skeptic persons will definitely ruin your chances for a successful hunt. Spirits may not like new energies which may seem malevolent to them.
Remember to check your equipment continually throughout the project. Spirits have a tendency to make electronic equipment malfunction. Unfortunately, there is no remedy for this. Make a note of it in your log book and keep monitoring as you can.
When you are finished with the examination area, be sure to thank the Spirits for their cooperation, even if there didn't seem to be any. If you decide to return to this area for further research, they may be more willing to help in your studies.
When you are ready to develop your film, make sure to have it done at a reputable commercial business. Doing your own developing will mean your photo research means nothing to the scientific world and skeptics.... (The are the same.. aren't they? ) Commercial development of film means they cannot call you a photo-manipulator who is out to trick an unsuspecting public. Commercial development techniques can be checked and verified for malfunction. Tell the developer to be sure to return all negatives and pictures, including ones that seem imperfect. What they might think is bad lighting, dim picture, out of focus, etc., might be evidence to you. Developers don't know what to look for.... you do. Remember, you must protect your reputation and prove your findings.
DO NOT throw out any evidence, recordings, or findings. Keep everything, no matter how insignificant the items may seem. These are permanent and are to be kept locked in a secure place. DO NOT LOSE ANY OF IT!!!
Watch the countless hours of video. Listen to all of your audio recordings. This is where a large speaker, such as those found on kareoke machines, comes in handy. Then look through all your hundreds of pictures taken. Be sure to make notations where photos, sounds, and images match your log book entries. Make note of matches, times, etc.