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This article provides the information that ghost
hunters or anyone interested in the paranormal should know about and understand
before venturing out into the unknown.
Who qualifies to call himself or herself a ghost
hunter?
What does a person have to do to become a ghost hunter?
Technically anyone's qualified to be called a ghost
hunter. The spectrum ranges from the scientific professionals to the weekend
hobbyist. Anyone curious enough to explore the paranormal is a ghost hunter.
For the most part, it's a technical craft where most of the knowledge
will be self taught and learned as you go along.
If you're going to be successful as a ghost hunter you'll need to study
and understand the theories and methods of ghost hunting, the sciences
behind those theories and learn how to apply them in the field. You will
need to practice using the tools of the trade, and most importantly, you
will have to learn to develop a keen guiding instinct.
Most ghost hunters already believe in ghosts. However the theories regarding
what ghosts are can vary greatly from one ghost hunter to another. The
toughest part of becoming a good ghost hunter is learning how to go into
ghost hunts thinking and acting like a skeptic. That's right a skeptic.
It's the ghost hunter's duty to be open-minded and examine all of the
facts for any logical explanations. The word open-minded does not mean
solely believing in the existence of ghosts and not excepting any other
hypotheses. Instead it refers to analyzing every option that could account
for the phenomena. It is important to stress the use of scientific method,
because without it, you will prove nothing.
Ghost hunters must be fair, rational and always
searching for the logical explanation. The ghost hunter's job is to uncover
the absolute truth, no matter what that truth may be. There are thousands
of ghost hunters, but only a handful of good ghost hunters. Understanding
this simple fact will make you a better, more knowledgeable ghost hunter.
What are ghosts?
The honest answer here is that no one really knows.
There has never been any absolute proof in the existence of survival beyond
death or ghosts for that matter. This is the result of decades of ghost
hunters that have refused to use scientific method. Instead they have
often relied upon the use of psychics, medium and other questionable methods.
You cannot use the paranormal to prove the paranormal.
Do reasonable people believe in ghosts?
Over 80% of people polled believe in the existence
of ghosts and there is no shortage of people with ghost stories to tell.
Some people may have never told their story before out of fear that their
friends and peers would ridicule them. It's important for those people
who have seen ghosts or had a supernatural experience to know that they
are not alone. When people begin to share stories they will find out very
quickly that others have had the same types of experiences and they are
curious to know if they have actually had a paranormal experience or have
mistaken a mundane occurrence for a ghost.
What makes up a "good" ghost hunter?
First and foremost, the use of scientific method.
A good ghost hunter has hypotheses that he has either developed or adopted.
These hypotheses determine exactly what he is looking for and how he expects
to find it. Ghost hunters should also enter ghost hunts as a detective
would, taking notes, doing interviews, researching locations and the location's
background. The detective side of a ghost hunter has to be aware of all
logical and natural explanations and do their best to find a reasonable
conclusion. The forensics side is the part that most ghost hunters fail
to develop. A ghost hunter should treat each alleged haunted location
like a crime scene. They must meticulously go over the area and carefully
gather any physical evidence while not disturbing the scene's environment.
Drawing maps and diagrams of the layout, staging reenactments. Analyzing
even the smallest of clues that may have been left behind.
The final element of a good ghost hunter is the
researcher. You must have a vast working knowledge of the science behind
your hypotheses. What it comes down to is a ghost hunter really has to
know their stuff to make it past this point.
Are there rules that apply to all ghosts?
When hunting for ghosts don't look for any rules
or absolutes. There are no guarantees on predicting when and where a ghost
will appear and it's appearance doesn't seem to follow any special pattern.
Sometimes a ghost is nothing more than a sharp chill or the odd feeling
of being watched. In other cases, the ghosts cannot be distinguished from
a living person. Ghosts have been known to interact with the living or
just make acknowledgment with a quick glance or eye contact. In other
accounts the ghosts seem unaware of the presence of living people and
appear to be acting out some part of their own past life. When it comes
to ghost hunting the only rule is, be ready for anything!
Other considerations about Ghost hunting:
High tech gadgets can be very helpful in aiding
a good ghost hunter who knows the proper use of each piece of equipment.
Knowing exactly what the equipment does and how to work the equipment
is very important. Always test and practice each piece of equipment for
several days or weeks before attempting to use them in the field. Give
yourself time to learn all of the different, and sometimes complicated,
functions.
There are many ghost hunting groups out there.
Huge differences can exist between group "A" and group "B".
Ask questions and thoroughly look through
shier website before making a determination to join or not. This will
save you allot of wasted time and expense in the long run. Be sure that
the group is right for you.
Very basic Necessary Equipment:
These items are cheap, easy to obtain, and can fill
a small case.
Business
Cards: Include your name and contact information.
Notebook and Pens/Pencils: Notebooks are used to keep case notes, log
records of events, and personal journal information.
Flashlights/Candles: Have at least two flashlights with extra batteries.
Tape Recorder and Blank Tapes: Use a good full size tape recorder and
a separate external, static free microphone. Always use brand new blank
tapes. Never record over old tapes.
Tape Measure: 10 to 50 feet.
Wristwatch.
Thermometer: A thermometer can detect changes in room temperature. It's
good to carry an old fashion, red line thermometer. There are electronic
(digital) thermometers on the market that are good, but in some cases
where electromagnetic forces have been reported they fail.
Compass: Great for navigation, and also used for picking up those electromagnetic
forces. A compass will react to any magnetic or electrical stimuli that
are reported in haunting cases.
Chalk: White or colored chalk. Used to mark areas and cleans off easy.
Area Maps: If possible.
Cotton balls for putting by window and under door to determine movement.
Talcum powder: To put on the floors to detect movement.
Liquid Level Ruler: Used to determine slanted areas.
First Aid Kit: Always have a first aid kit ready.
Personal ID and some Spare Cash: Never leave home without them.
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