The Ghosts of Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County is a fairly large area in Ohio. It is marked by the city of Dayton, which is one of the largest cities in the state. The area is also home to numerous ghosts.
Clayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County has the Clayton Fire Station which is haunted by a little boy. He has sometimes been seen running through the fire station, and is usually found in the main hallway. At times people have also heard strange noises, and found miscellaneous items lying around the hallway.
Centerville is one of the larger cities in Montgomery County, and has several ghosts of its own. The Wolfe Mausoleum in the Centerville Cemetery is haunted by two wolves who were buried inside with their owner. According to local legend, the two were buried alive inside the mausoleum, and even now they are still trying to escape.
The Normandy Church is Centerville has the distinction of being a former house that was turned into a church. Apparently the former owner doesn't like the change, as she still resides inside. Her perfume is often smelled in the church, and people inside at night sometimes hear odd noises. The Town Hall Theater in Centerville is rumored to be haunted as well. It is plagued by cold spots, lights that turn off and on, and doors that open on their own. Some also claim to have seen a man who looks like Abraham Lincoln peering out from an upstairs window.
Ohio's Germantown Cemetery and a Local Ghost
Dayton is the seat of Montgomery County, and is haunted by ghosts dating back hundreds of years. The Amber Rose Restaurant downtown is haunted by the former owner's daughter. The young girl lived there when the restaurant was still a private residence. She breaks dishes, and sometimes plays music inside. The Dayton Country Club is haunted by what sounds like a private party held on the grounds. When workers investigate the sounds, no one is every found.
If you're looking for a place in the Germantown/Miamisburg area of Ohio to see some ghosts and ghouls this Halloween, look no further than the Germantown Cemetery. The Germantown Cemetery is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in Montgomery County, Ohio, second only to the Air Force Museum, and possibly the Patterson Homestead.
Located on Route 725 in Germantown, the Germantown Cemetery is rumored to be haunted by a Confederate soldier. The legend most often associated with the Cemetery is that the soldier died in a battle in southwest Ohio, and there was no time to move his body. Another legend states that on his deathbed the Confederate soldier recanted his position on his death bed, and asked that he be buried in a Union cemetery. Still another legend claims that the soldier was an Ohio native who joined the Confederate Army because he agreed with their side. After his death, his family requested that his body be buried in Ohio.
Despite the true origins of the Confederate soldier haunting the Germantown Cemetery, his spirit is more sweet than scary. He is said to wander the cemetery, looking lost and confused. Possibly the spirit is trying to find his way back to the South, or to his lost battalion.
Growing up in the Dayton area, with an interest in ghosts and hauntings, this was one of the first ghost stories I remember hearing. After working in historic preservation, and in particular cemetery preservation, for a few years, I headed back out to the Germantown Cemetery with a different perspective. The Cemetery was founded in 1849, making it entirely possible that a Confederate soldier could haunt the area. Though Ohio was far north, it was a Union stronghold and had its share of Confederate skirmishes during the Civil War.
Don't go to the Germantown Cemetery expecting to find a small, historic cemetery like you would see in the movies. This is a large active cemetery, where people are still buried today. There isn't a sense of plotting with the spots; you may find a fairly large newer series of graves directly beside a few headstones from the early 1900s. Adding to the confusion is the fact that some of the headstones have been replaced, meaning that it might be hard to decipher between a grave that looks newer, and a grave that is actually new.
As for the ghost, I've never seen him myself, nor do I know anyone who claims to have seen them personally. Instead I've heard a lot of rumors, and second hand stories. If he does exist, he waited awhile to appear. Though the Germantown Cemetery was founded in 1849, its first burial wasn't until 1855. Its possible that he died in one of the last battles during the Civil War. There's also the issue of where his grave lies; there are several military graves in the Cemetery, but no one is exactly sure which could be his grave.
If you are interested in checking out the Germantown Cemetery for yourself, the chances are good that you might just have a good story to take home to your friends.
The Ghostly Legend of Cincinnati's Spring Grove Cemetery
Over the years I have heard a lot of different stories about cemeteries, but one of my favorites has to be the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio. My particular background and interest is in cemetery preservation, and I've seen quite a few cemeteries in my day. The Spring Grove Cemetery is by far the largest one I've ever seen.
The cemetery was formed in 1844 by an offshoot of the Cincinnati Horticultural Society, and chartered in 1845. A few months later the first burial occurred. Spring Grove is the final resting place of several prominent Buckeye businessmen including the founders of Procter and Gamble, and the founder of Kroger. There are also a large number of Civil War veterans buried there, as well as Charles Fleischmann the famous yeast maker.
According to legend there is a more famous headstone inside the cemetery. Some claim that the man had a stone bust made to exactly replicate his facial structure. The end result was something that looked exactly like him, except made in stone. The only thing missing was his eyes. If you can guess where this story is going...Apparently the man requested that his own eyes be removed and placed in the bust.
Those who have seen the headstone and bust claim that the eyes seem to flicker and look lifelike. They also claim that the man swore those eyes would watch over visitors, to make sure that no one vandalized his grave. The story also claims that the eyes follow you around the cemetery.
There are a few variations on the story that are even more unbelievable. One is that the bust can move, to keep a better watch over those troublemakers. Others claim that the bust will actually talk to those it thinks are about to do harm. Whether that is harm to his grave, or anywhere in the cemetery is unknown.
This Cincinnati legend may sound funny, but there are some people who believe it. There is in fact a headstone with a bust on it, but the eyes are made of glass. Maybe someone alone in Spring Grove saw the bust, and felt as if someone was watching them. After some time the story may have been embellished and turned into the story we know today.
Oddly enough this is the only ghost story I've heard about the Cincinnati cemetery. Considering its age and history, it seems as if there should be a few more stories dwelling inside. Only time will tell
Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio, is Full of Ghosts
Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio, is one of the oldest cemeteries in the state, and one of the most famous. It is also one of the most haunted.
The Woodland Cemetery encompasses over 200 acres of land, with over 100,000 graves inside, and is still in use today. The gatehouse and crematorium are both on the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1841 by John Van Cleve, the cemetery was started in an area far removed from the city limits. Dayton needed a new main cemetery, but wanted one that wouldn't interfere with the layout of the city. The original purpose of the cemetery was to provide locals with a park, as well as a cemetery. During its heyday, it wasn't surprising to see families strolling through the cemetery, stopping only for a picnic on an unoccupied piece of land.
Woodland Cemetery is more than just a place for the dead. It is a piece of Dayton history and is the final resting place of some of the city's brightest alumni. Orville and Wilbur Wright, the two brothers who practically invented the field of flight, are buried inside. James M. Cox, founder of the Dayton Daily News is also buried in the Cemetery. As a side note, Cox is buried on a small hill with only a plain headstone to mark his grave, while a large and elaborate mausoleum stands only a few feet away, unrelated to the Cox family. Author and humorist Erma Bombeck also calls Woodland her final resting place, with a 29,000 pound boulder her husband had shipped from Phoenix, where they lived part-time during their life together. Other "residents" include Huffy Bicycle Company founder George Huffman, Frank Patterson who died when testing a new airplane and whose name is now on the Air Force Base, and Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the most famous African American poets in American history.
While Woodland has its share of famous residents, some of its most famous residents refuse to stay buried. Johnny Morehouse is one such resident. During his life, Johnny's dog was his faithful companion, following him everywhere, and staying by his side at every moment; the two were rarely apart. According to the popular legend, Johnny drowned after falling into a local canal and after his burial, the dog still refused to leave his side. After his beloved pet died, a special marker was added to the headstone to commemorate his life. To this day people still leave behind candy and toys on the headstone, even over 140 years after his death. During a visit there in August, we noticed a few stuffed animals, and dog toys left on the marker.
According to the ghost legends circulating the Cemetery, Johnny and his dog can sometimes be seen running through the cemetery, or sitting on the edge of the fence near his headstone. Some people also claim to hear barking coming from inside. In 1997, the police were called in, to investigate reports of a young boy wandering through the cemetery after closing, but nothing was ever found. According to some, breath also comes from the dog sculpture at the grave site.
The other ghost spotted in Woodland Cemetery, is that of a young college age student. The story is popular enough to have been included in a volume of the popular Chris Woodyard series of books Haunted Ohio. The girl has blond hair and blue eyes, and is always dressed in jeans, white tennis shoes, and a striped shirt. She sometimes talks to people who walk by, but disappears when they look for her later. Some people also claim that the headstone she sits on glows green or blue at certain times. The legend varies from her being seen at all times of the year, to only on certain days. The legend also says that her father is buried across the cemetery, and she was unhappy at their separation.
Woodland Cemetery is located only steps from the University of Dayton campus. That may seem hard to believe, but I can tell you it is true. While attending the University of Dayton, I lived in the Stewart Street Apartments for one year, and we designated our apartment a "smoke free zone".
Every time I or my roommate wanted a cigarette, we had to go outside to smoke. The front of the complex led to a small courtyard, but the back entrance led to a small stoop only feet from the Cemetery. You could touch the eight foot tall security fence without leaving the stoop, and you could see headstones at all times of the night. We were also "lucky" enough to have the crematorium located directly behind our apartment; we could see the smoke billow from the chimney by looking out our bedroom windows. The other side of the Cemetery is located at the end of Woodland Avenue, at the end of a street full of student houses owned by the school. I also lived in one of those houses during my years at the school. And during my first year on the campus, I also had the chance to live in the Marycrest Dorm, which overlooks Woodland.
With all the legends and stories surrounding Woodland Cemetery, I should have some great stories of my time at the University of Dayton. After all, I did spend three long years surrounded by it. Unfortunately my experiences are very limited. People claimed that you could see the young female ghost from certain spots in the dorm, but despite us looking often, we never saw her or the glowing headstone. At one point during one of our many smoke breaks, we did have a creepy experience, but it turned out to be the guys that lived directly above the stoop.
On another night, as we sat outside smoking our cigarettes, and talking about our boyfriends at the time, we heard an odd noise. We waited a few moments, and then went back to talking when it happened again. From somewhere close by, we heard the distinct sound of a dog barking, and it sounded as though it was coming from inside the fence of the cemetery. Was it our imagination playing tricks on us? Was it the wind carrying the sound? Or, was it the sounds of little Johnny and his dog playing inside...?
If you are interested in visiting Woodland Cemetery for yourself, it is located at 118 Woodland Avenue in Dayton, Ohio.
Patterson Tower
Part of the mystery surrounding the stone tower that looms over Dayton’s Community Golf Course is who built it and why. The popular belief is that it was designed to serve as an observation tower. But others believe that it was constructed by a man named John D. Patterson, which is why the tower is often referred to as Patterson Tower.
Perhaps due in part to the tower’s foreboding appearance, over the years more macabre names have been used to refer to it, including Witches’ Tower and even Frankenstein’s Tower. As for the ghosts that are said to haunt the tower, they were first reported after a tragic accident took place there in the 1960s.
According to legend, a group of teenagers were enjoying themselves near the tower when a violent thunderstorm suddenly rolled in. The teenagers quickly ran for the tower, believing the solid stone the tower was constructed of would protect them. What they failed to notice was that the tower stairs came equipped with a long metal railing.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck a portion of the rail at the top of the tower. The metal rail allowed the electricity to race down the railing towards the teenagers. Two members of the group were leaning against the railing when the lightning struck. They were electrocuted and died almost instantly.
It is said that for weeks afterwards, visitors could still see the charred outlines of the teenagers on the tower wall. Officials ordered metal plates secured to the tower’s openings, but that did little to deter the curious; they simply pried the plates loose. Over time, though, visitors became less and less frequent. In fact, the tower may have faded into obscurity save for one thing; the ghosts.
Legend states that on dark and stormy nights (sorry) shadowy figures said to belong to the teenage victims are seen at the tower. It is said that if there is a sudden and violent bolt of lightning, the figures will illuminate and glow as if they have just been struck by lightning. After which, they will once again fade into nothingness... until the next storm.
Today, due largely to repeated acts of vandalism, "no trespassing" signs have been placed around the tower and the entrance way and lower windows have been more permanently sealed. But that has done little to stop the popularity of the tower and its ghosts. Indeed, in recent years, new stories have begun circulating that claim a woman hanged herself in the tower. There is even a story that claims the real reason officials sealed off the tower was because a young teenager decided to investigate it one night and in the darkness, fell to his death.
So is Patterson Tower haunted? It is hard to say with any certainty. While our equipment picked up nothing during our visit, The Ghosts of Ohio web site continues to receive e-mails on a regular basis from people who claim they have spotted darkened shapes moving about within this foreboding structure. So perhaps it is simply a case of us being in the right place at the wrong time. Or that maybe the spirits of Patterson Tower were dormant during our visit, preferring to wait for the next dark and stormy night to make their presence known.
Woolybooger Cemetery
Greene County, Ohio
Teetering on the verge of falling over onto our Vicious Rumors page is where you will find the strange and perplexing tale of Woolybooger Cemetery. Indeed, the only reason this story hasn't found its way onto the aforementioned page is because The Ghosts of Ohio have yet to find any concrete evidence of... well, of anything!
Perhaps most importantly, who (or what) is supposed to haunt this cemetery.
Situated along Big Darby Creek is a small cemetery that, for reasons yet unknown, has come to be referred to by locals as Woolybooger Cemetery. Although during the course of our investigation, others called it the Woolybooger. Interestingly enough, while everyone we spoke with knew of the cemetery and that it was haunted, no one could tell us why. But the most common response was that strange flashing lights were seen in the cemetery late at night, as well as strange noises.
Another common story we were told centered around the all-too-familiar reference to a "satanic cult" that worshipped in the cemetery. There were even two teenagers who swore that the cemetery got its name because it was home to a Woolybooger, which they described as some kind of Bigfoot-like creature. They also stated that "Woolybooger" is a term used in North Carolina to refer to Bigfoot.
We uncovered no evidence to suggest that there is any cult-like activity currently being conducted in the cemetery.
In fact, this cemetery if fairly well-maintained for one sitting so off the main road. And even if we were able to find evidence of such a group, no one we spoke to connect this mysterious cult with ghostly activity in the cemetery.
During subsequent visits to the cemetery, our equipment failed to pick up any readings out of the ordinary. This is not to say that there is no ghostly activity taking place in the cemetery. Rather, without having information related to who haunts the cemetery, The Ghosts of Ohio is unable to determine the best times to visit.
Concerning the Bigfoot connection, The Ghosts of Ohio contacted several of the leading Ohio Bigfoot organizations and were unable to obtain any reports of Bigfoot sightings in the nearby area.
And as for the enigmatic name of the cemetery, The Ghosts of Ohio discovered something interesting during the course of our investigation. It appears as though "Woolybooger" is the name of a type of lure used in fly fishing. And indeed, since the cemetery sits right next to Big Darby Creek, a popular fishing spot, the name may have sprung from the minds of a few late-night anglers. These fishermen, perhaps armed with flashlights, may also account for the reports of strange lights in the woods near the cemetery. Is there a connection? It's hard to say. But then again, it's hard to say anything about the Woolybooger Cemetery with any certainty
Kentucky's Most Haunted: The Vengeful Ghost of Carl Pruitt
Stories of a vengeful and killer ghost spread across the state of Kentucky in 1938. People claimed that the ghost was causing death and destruction wherever it went, though it seemed to be centered on a small area of the state.
The story started with Carl Pruitt, who seemed to be an ordinary man. Ordinary that is until he discovered his wife cheating on him, and not only that, but cheating with him in his own bed.
In a fit of anger, he grabbed a steel chain and strangled his wife with it, while the other man ran for his life. Seeing what he had done, Pruitt killed himself. Considering what he had done, the wife's family insisted that the two be separated, and Pruitt was placed across town in a different cemetery.
Pruitt's headstone almost instantly changed in appearance, and people swore that they could see a chain wrapped around the stone. It almost looked as if the chain was etched into the stone, and it continued to grow longer and take up more space on the headstone. Once the chain stopped growing, some suggested that the stone be removed, but it never was.
The first death came just a few weeks after the chain stopped. Several boys rode through the cemetery, and one tossed rocks at the headstone to prove his bravery. On the way home that day the boy's bicycle veered out of control and he somehow ended up being strangled by the chain on his bike. Though his friends swore that the boy broke the stone with one of his throws, no evidence of the damage could be found.
A few weeks later the boy's mother went to the cemetery with vengeance in mind. She attacked the tombstone with an axe from her farm, destroying it into a pile of rubble. The next day the lady was hanging clothes outside her house when the clothesline came loose. Somehow, and no one is quite sure how, the woman ended up being strangled by the clothesline. Some claim that once again the tombstone appeared perfectly normal.
Though stories of the deaths continued to spread, not everyone was afraid of Pruitt. A family driving past the cemetery witnessed the horrifying death of their father. The man shot at the headstone, declaring that he thought the whole story was fake. Right after that, his wagon veered out of control and the man was strangled to death by a chain on the wagon. Not only did the tombstone look perfect, but authorities were baffled to how the chain came loose to kill the man.
Following the last death, people began to talk. The talk spread to the point where authorities were sent to the area to examine the tombstone. One of the men laughed at the tombstone, and it would be one of the last things he ever did. While leaving the cemetery, his car crashed. A chain in the area broke through the windshield, wrapped around his neck, and strangled him.
That incident caused people to keep their distance, but once again there was a man who scoffed at the stories. He attacked the tombstone with a hammer, and people could hear the cracking as the tombstone broke in pieces. There was a short silence before people heard the man screaming.
When people ran to the cemetery, they found that a heavy chain from the cemetery gate had strangled the man. It looked as though the man had run right through the gate, caught his neck on the chain, and hung there until people arrived. Once again there was no sign of any damage to Pruitt's tombstone.
This was the turning point of the cemetery. Families began moving their buried to other cemeteries, and new burials rarely occurred there. The cemetery itself was destroyed in the 1950's, leaving only the story behind.
Even today people still talk about the mysterious deaths surrounding this one little tombstone. No explanation has ever been given, but people still love to tell the story of what once happened there.
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Haunting Returns
August 11, 2006
The Haunting Returns
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Votes:61 Rating:
Shane Brown, Middletown/Carlisle, Ohio, 1977-present
These occurrences are remembered to my absolute best ability. From the time I was around 4-5, I was having occurrences that I could not explain. I had an imaginary friend I know I could see but no one else could -- I would always talk to my mom about her and she even remembers her name which even I cannot recall. She was always nice, but older then I was, and we always played together but when we moved from Middletown to Carlisle she didn't come.
We lived in a house where a man had killed himself in the corner and a blood stain would not come off the wall no matter how hard you tried. My mom and sister always experienced unexplained events there, but I was too young to notice aside from my female friend. We moved out and a short while later a mysterious fire burnt the house down while it was vacant. We bought a new house in a brand new subdivision about 20 minutes from Middletown in a village called Carlisle.
Right after we moved into our new home in 1977, in a development that was built over a huge cornfield known as Castlebrook estates, many of the new residents were quite aware of a violent murder and rape of a young girl that had happened in the cornfield many years before. We had all discussed one of the property area's had to have been built where the event had taken place. I am quite positive it was where our new home was. Within the first week of moving in, we all experienced things in the home that no one could come close to explaining.
At night you could always hear someone walking/pacing on the carpet as it made kind of a swooshing noise as you walked on it. Sometimes we would hear indecipherable music played just at an ambient-low volume but you could never find the source of it while walking from room to room. The worst was what we all called "the darkness" which happened every night. I had to sleep with a night light on because I was always terrified of being in the dark and I still am to an extent. When you would turn off the lights, the dark would get darker and darker and envelope the walls of the room. The nightlight would not give any light on the wall behind it but always would illuminate my bed, stereo ect. This happened in the bedrooms when the lights were out.
Because of this, many of my friends would not spend the night and the ones that did often would not do it again. Everyone who did noticed something was not right in the house. The living room was also always darker then the rest of the house. Even with all the lights on it seemed we never could get that room bright. With my own bedroom, we also always had to sleep with the door open because if it was closed we would wake up with it open or it would fly open and slam closed then re-open. Finally we just left the doors open while we slept.
Shortly after we moved in, my mom wanted the Ouija board out of the house in case it was causing some problems so we gave it to our friends from school, Danny and Jeff *last names omitted*. From the first night we gave them the board, their house became violent -- the doorbell wouldn't stop ringing, doors would fly open, and screams would ring out in the hallway. Their mom and the boys destroyed the board and then burned it (no it did not scream as per urban legend) and then they had a minister bless their home. The hauntings stopped right afterward.
Mine only seemed to increase as I got older. One night while laying in bed when I was around 12, I was just falling asleep when the room became ice cold and I couldn't move, scream, or say anything. I was instantly paralyzed and the only thing I did was pray to God and Jesus for any help. After what seemed like hours, but I'm sure it was only a few minutes, my room became warm and heated again and the coldness left. It was one of the scariest events of my life as I felt like I was in the presence of the most evil being. I still don't know what it was and I probably don't want to know.
Things continued to go downhill the older I got. I started feeling rages of anger/guilt, schoolwork and interest in everything dropped, and I started turning to the occult and Satanism for guidance and answers. I was listening to bands that were considered satanic at the time like, King Diamond, Slayer, Helloween, Metallica, and Megadeth (yes, back then they were considered evil) and my mom turned to the opposite. She started going to church and anytime she went into my room without me there she would swear she was under some sort of demonic attack. I believed her because of all the things that were happening. I also was having frequent nightmares of murders, violence, suicides, and the house exploding.
We knew we were going to be moving due to things getting worse in the house as I got older and plus the fights with the neighborhood kids was also increasing we knew it was time to go.
Shortly before moving day, two things happened within a week of each other. The first was at a garage sale where I bought the book The Amityville Horrorand sat down in the loveseat and started to read. Within moments I started to feel like I couldn't breathe and then my mom and I both felt an evil presence like we have never experienced before. She demanded to know what I was reading and I showed her. No sooner then it felt like we both were about knocked off our feet so I instantly ran out of the house and threw the book away in a neighbor's garage can. When I returned, things still didn't feel right, but the evil we were feeling in the room was gone. Mom made me promise to never try and read that book or anything occult oriented again. I have still kept my promise.
The next was about a week before we were moving -- my cousin, Shawn, was staying over helping me pack and we were using chairs, boxes etc. to stack my music on that we were listening to while finishing the packing. I sat a bunch of 45 records on this folding chair that I told my cousin we couldn't sit on it because it would flip up and break but a few records isn't enough weight and would be fine. We went to bed and he knew about the footsteps and the darkness that happened when we turned off the lights, but I guess my door wasn't open far enough as it was 1/2 cracked allowing light from the bathroom to come down the hall. We weren't all the way asleep yet and suddenly we heard the swoosh sound coming down the hall and Shawn started flipping out. My door opened by itself and the footsteps walked to one side of the bed then to the other, then I thought it would leave my room as usual, but it didn't. The sound shuffled to the foot of my bed and stopped, causing me and Shawn too almost scream. We looked up and there was nothing there but my 45's were slowly being pushed off my chair then they hit the side of the speaker, then the floor, and at that instant the chair flipped up and broke like someone had just sat on it. We grabbed the blankets and ran into my mom's room and slept on the floor at the foot of her bed.
A few days afterward my mom had her encounter. We would sometimes play pranks and scare each other. This was 2 nights after the chair incident happened. She was just laying in bed when she said she felt something brush around her so she screamed for me to get out of her room. Then her bed gave a huge shove and banged against the wall so she came running out and into my room where I was sound asleep. From what I understand, she didn't go back to bed that night. I know my mom has had more experiences there from what I know, but many she will not even discuss. One of which freaked her out so much she pretty much tore up things and trashed my room. All she said was that there was something evil in my room and it was almost like a demonic attack when she walked inside. When we were moving, though, nothing unusual happened. Once we moved back to Middletown in 1988, things were fine and the hauntings, darkness, voices, and other odd occurrences stopped until 1998 when I got married and moved out, and then things were more scary then in Carlisle. Those stories are for another post. All these events are very true and as real as I can remember. Is it possible also for someone to have a spirit follow them or leave you alone for almost 10 years and then come back? If anyone has any comments or can answer some of my questions you can email me at theebaydj@yahoo.com. Thanks for taking the time to read through all this. There were many other weird occurrences inside the house but these were a lot of the main ones that still sticks in mine and my mothers memory.
The Haunting Returns
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Votes:61 Rating:
Shane Brown, Middletown/Carlisle, Ohio, 1977-present
These occurrences are remembered to my absolute best ability. From the time I was around 4-5, I was having occurrences that I could not explain. I had an imaginary friend I know I could see but no one else could -- I would always talk to my mom about her and she even remembers her name which even I cannot recall. She was always nice, but older then I was, and we always played together but when we moved from Middletown to Carlisle she didn't come.
We lived in a house where a man had killed himself in the corner and a blood stain would not come off the wall no matter how hard you tried. My mom and sister always experienced unexplained events there, but I was too young to notice aside from my female friend. We moved out and a short while later a mysterious fire burnt the house down while it was vacant. We bought a new house in a brand new subdivision about 20 minutes from Middletown in a village called Carlisle.
Right after we moved into our new home in 1977, in a development that was built over a huge cornfield known as Castlebrook estates, many of the new residents were quite aware of a violent murder and rape of a young girl that had happened in the cornfield many years before. We had all discussed one of the property area's had to have been built where the event had taken place. I am quite positive it was where our new home was. Within the first week of moving in, we all experienced things in the home that no one could come close to explaining.
At night you could always hear someone walking/pacing on the carpet as it made kind of a swooshing noise as you walked on it. Sometimes we would hear indecipherable music played just at an ambient-low volume but you could never find the source of it while walking from room to room. The worst was what we all called "the darkness" which happened every night. I had to sleep with a night light on because I was always terrified of being in the dark and I still am to an extent. When you would turn off the lights, the dark would get darker and darker and envelope the walls of the room. The nightlight would not give any light on the wall behind it but always would illuminate my bed, stereo ect. This happened in the bedrooms when the lights were out.
Because of this, many of my friends would not spend the night and the ones that did often would not do it again. Everyone who did noticed something was not right in the house. The living room was also always darker then the rest of the house. Even with all the lights on it seemed we never could get that room bright. With my own bedroom, we also always had to sleep with the door open because if it was closed we would wake up with it open or it would fly open and slam closed then re-open. Finally we just left the doors open while we slept.
Shortly after we moved in, my mom wanted the Ouija board out of the house in case it was causing some problems so we gave it to our friends from school, Danny and Jeff *last names omitted*. From the first night we gave them the board, their house became violent -- the doorbell wouldn't stop ringing, doors would fly open, and screams would ring out in the hallway. Their mom and the boys destroyed the board and then burned it (no it did not scream as per urban legend) and then they had a minister bless their home. The hauntings stopped right afterward.
Mine only seemed to increase as I got older. One night while laying in bed when I was around 12, I was just falling asleep when the room became ice cold and I couldn't move, scream, or say anything. I was instantly paralyzed and the only thing I did was pray to God and Jesus for any help. After what seemed like hours, but I'm sure it was only a few minutes, my room became warm and heated again and the coldness left. It was one of the scariest events of my life as I felt like I was in the presence of the most evil being. I still don't know what it was and I probably don't want to know.
Things continued to go downhill the older I got. I started feeling rages of anger/guilt, schoolwork and interest in everything dropped, and I started turning to the occult and Satanism for guidance and answers. I was listening to bands that were considered satanic at the time like, King Diamond, Slayer, Helloween, Metallica, and Megadeth (yes, back then they were considered evil) and my mom turned to the opposite. She started going to church and anytime she went into my room without me there she would swear she was under some sort of demonic attack. I believed her because of all the things that were happening. I also was having frequent nightmares of murders, violence, suicides, and the house exploding.
We knew we were going to be moving due to things getting worse in the house as I got older and plus the fights with the neighborhood kids was also increasing we knew it was time to go.
Shortly before moving day, two things happened within a week of each other. The first was at a garage sale where I bought the book The Amityville Horrorand sat down in the loveseat and started to read. Within moments I started to feel like I couldn't breathe and then my mom and I both felt an evil presence like we have never experienced before. She demanded to know what I was reading and I showed her. No sooner then it felt like we both were about knocked off our feet so I instantly ran out of the house and threw the book away in a neighbor's garage can. When I returned, things still didn't feel right, but the evil we were feeling in the room was gone. Mom made me promise to never try and read that book or anything occult oriented again. I have still kept my promise.
The next was about a week before we were moving -- my cousin, Shawn, was staying over helping me pack and we were using chairs, boxes etc. to stack my music on that we were listening to while finishing the packing. I sat a bunch of 45 records on this folding chair that I told my cousin we couldn't sit on it because it would flip up and break but a few records isn't enough weight and would be fine. We went to bed and he knew about the footsteps and the darkness that happened when we turned off the lights, but I guess my door wasn't open far enough as it was 1/2 cracked allowing light from the bathroom to come down the hall. We weren't all the way asleep yet and suddenly we heard the swoosh sound coming down the hall and Shawn started flipping out. My door opened by itself and the footsteps walked to one side of the bed then to the other, then I thought it would leave my room as usual, but it didn't. The sound shuffled to the foot of my bed and stopped, causing me and Shawn too almost scream. We looked up and there was nothing there but my 45's were slowly being pushed off my chair then they hit the side of the speaker, then the floor, and at that instant the chair flipped up and broke like someone had just sat on it. We grabbed the blankets and ran into my mom's room and slept on the floor at the foot of her bed.
A few days afterward my mom had her encounter. We would sometimes play pranks and scare each other. This was 2 nights after the chair incident happened. She was just laying in bed when she said she felt something brush around her so she screamed for me to get out of her room. Then her bed gave a huge shove and banged against the wall so she came running out and into my room where I was sound asleep. From what I understand, she didn't go back to bed that night. I know my mom has had more experiences there from what I know, but many she will not even discuss. One of which freaked her out so much she pretty much tore up things and trashed my room. All she said was that there was something evil in my room and it was almost like a demonic attack when she walked inside. When we were moving, though, nothing unusual happened. Once we moved back to Middletown in 1988, things were fine and the hauntings, darkness, voices, and other odd occurrences stopped until 1998 when I got married and moved out, and then things were more scary then in Carlisle. Those stories are for another post. All these events are very true and as real as I can remember. Is it possible also for someone to have a spirit follow them or leave you alone for almost 10 years and then come back? If anyone has any comments or can answer some of my questions you can email me at theebaydj@yahoo.com. Thanks for taking the time to read through all this. There were many other weird occurrences inside the house but these were a lot of the main ones that still sticks in mine and my mothers memory.
Orbs or Dust?
Check out the article brought to you by Tri County Paranormal.
They have done some research on orbs that I find very informative.
Click here Orbs or Dust
They have done some research on orbs that I find very informative.
Click here Orbs or Dust
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Ghost Hunting 101
Ghost Hunting 101
Table of Contents
Chapter One Before you read.
Chapter Two General Tips.
Chapter Three Where to Look.
Chapter Four What to Bring.
Chapter Five Step-by-Step Procedure.
Chapter Six Taking Pictures.
Chapter Seven Audio and Video.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter One: Before You Read
Definitions:
Ghost Hunt- going to a place where there have been no sightings of ghosts and trying to catch some on film (video and photos), sounds, eyewitness, etc. (graveyards are the number one place to start, churches, schools and older buildings too)
Ghost Investigation- going to a known haunted place and recording data (video, photos,audio, temperatures), notes, interviews and other evidence to prove/disprove the hauntingand to assist the owners and the spirits in moving on and leaving the place if they want that. The assistance can be either you directly assisting the owner with the situation or putting them in contact with experienced groups or individuals that will try to resolve the situation. Your assistance can be something as simple as educating them on what is going on and their options.
What you may encounter:
There are generally two types of spirits you may encounter. One was a human at one time and it has remained on this level for some reason. It may not know it's dead, may be held here by unfinished business, guilt, etc. These spirits are like the person was when they were alive, so they could be good or bad, just like the living, but not normally dangerous.
This human spirit is the type you will encounter 95% of the time. You could also witness a residual haunting which is just a playback of a past event. This is just like watching a video from the past playing over and over. The other types of spirit you may encounter were never human and are generally bad news. You must be aware of this type but not obsessed with them, the chances that you will encounter them in a regular ghost hunt are slim. I have experienced both types and I just want to make you aware of their existence.
So be aware and protect yourself and you should have no problem.
Types of Haunting
The first type of haunting is exactly like a video playback of a historic or tragic event.
This is called a residual haunting. The event unfolds in front of you and there is no
interaction between you and the ghosts. They seem to not notice you and go through the motions of the event that occurred in the past. This event has been imprinted on the area or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right. The ghosts that you see in this type are not earthbound spirits; they are just visual playbacks. Since everything is made up of energy, the theory is that some of the energy from an event can be recorded by certain materials and played back when the atmosphere triggers it. Remember that video and audiotape is just oxidized (rust) film that enables the images and sounds to "stick" to it. This type may be frightening when you see it, but you are in no danger so enjoy the experience.
Ghost Hunting 101.
The second type of haunting is an interactive spirit that manifests in many ways. You
may see a full bodied or partial bodied apparition. More frequently than that, you may here voices, music, footsteps, etc. You may also smell odors which sources cannot be found (i.e. pipe tobacco when no one smokes). You may also see orbs, mists and other light effects. You may feel touches, cold spots, and other light physical contact. This ghost is the spirit of a deceased human being. They may be stuck here (earthbound) for reasons such as tragic sudden death, fear of moving on, guilt or unfinished business. They also could be here visiting loved ones or to warn or pass along a message. These human spirits are the same as they were in life, so they may be good or bad, but not really evil.
Think of all the people you know, probably a bit of good and bad, some worse than
others. This type can cause some scary situations but you must think about the situation they are in, you don't see them but they see you. They will try to get your attention any way they can. Many times this is the terrifying event people will write to me about like the lights going on and off, items moving, noises, etc. For the most part these are just attention getters and nothing more. There are a few more mischievous human spirits that
will do these things to bother you and scare you on purpose. They may just be a prankster or maybe they want you to leave the old home or not to change something in the home.
They have all the same motivations you and I would have. These human spirits account
for a majority of the haunting we encounter and are relatively harmless. Yes, there are extreme cases and sometimes they can cause dangerous situations, but this is not the norm and is rare.
The third type of ghost you may encounter is not a rare one, but is rare that they interactwith the living. They are non-human spirits, commonly known as demons and devils.
They are mentioned in the bible numerous places in both the old and new testaments.
People like Ed and Lorraine Warren have been dealing with this type of spirit for years.
This type is dangerous and can cause you harm. I believe that if there is good, there must be a counter balance, evil. These non-human spirits often disguise themselves and friendly and helpful human spirits. They often appear in cases dealing with Ouija boards, black magic and satanic worship. This is why I recommend not trying to contact spirits and doing ghost hunts without some understanding of what's out there. It's also why I recommend you go with or learn from experienced people before hand. That way you can ghost hunt with relative safety from these entities.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Two: General Tips
Check out the area in daylight so you are familiar with the area. Look for dangerous
places and obstacles that you will not be able to see in the dark.
Look for no trespassing signs. Make sure you are not trespassing. If you are on private property you are risking getting a ticket or arrested in some areas. You can get permission from many owners and or caretakers. We will often notify the local Police that we will be in a graveyard "taking pictures" so they are aware of our presence. If you are asked to leave do so immediately, you will not win this argument and you make other investigators look bad if you make a scene.
Make sure you bring you ID. (Drivers license, etc.) So if the police question you you can prove who you are.
Never go alone. This is just common sense. If you get hurt, who will get help?
The best times are from 9pm to 6am, these are the psychic hours, but anytime can
produce results. Photos have historically been better in the dark but don't let that
discourage you from taking them during the day.
Find out all you can about the history of the locale. Newspapers, town historians, WWW and books can be helpful finding folklore or hard facts about the site. The books and web pages dealing with this type of info is enormous. We have a haunted places listing here with over 1000 places listed.
If it is is raining, snowing or foggy and you are scheduled to do an out door ghost hunt,reschedule it. You cannot conduct a proper investigation in these conditions.
Keep an open mind; any negative feelings may drive the spirits away. Be respectful of the locations and the dead.
Be skeptical; look for causes for any phenomenon such as natural or man-made causes.
As an investigator you have to make sure your final evidence will stand up to scrutiny.
By eliminating all other explanations, your evidence becomes stronger proof.
No smoking, alcohol or drugs at an investigation for mostly obvious reasons.
No whispering, it can taint your recording results.
The Tax Assessors Office can give you historical info on many locations you visit.
Do not wear perfume, cologne or anything else with a very noticeable scent. This is so someone does not mistake the smell for a supernatural occurrence. Spirits often use scents and smells to get our attention.
Make sure you let someone know where you will be so they will know in case of
emergency.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Three: Where to Look
These are some places you can start your ghost hunting at. These are suggestions and you should not limit yourself to just these, spirits can be anywhere. Don't let the age of a building or area fool you. Also, remember do not trespass.
Cemeteries - The age of the cemetery doesn't matter but the older it is, the more time it has had to accumulate restless spirits. Why cemeteries? Well there are theories such as they are portals to the other side or that some spirits are drawn to their former bodies.
Schools - Schools and former sites of schools may have the build up of psychic energies and imprints of all the highly emotional events that have transpired there.
Theaters - The actors have run the gambit of human emotions inside the walls of a theater plus many have interesting haunting attached to them.
Battlefields - These are great locations simply because of their nature. Many violent
deaths in one area will always hold some spirits and psychic energy there.
Churches - There is a long history of the faithful returning to the church they worshipped at. They may be looking for the salvation they were promised and cannot find.
Hotels/Motels/Boarding houses - Many dark dealing and highly emotional events take
places in these rooms.
Historic Locations - Many historic buildings, because of their age, have had more time to have spirits attach to it. These buildings are often open the public and can give you a easy place to start. Many even have known histories of haunting and you may be able to gain access to the building after hours after speaking with the caretakers.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Four: What to Bring
The Basics:
* 35mm Camera - Nothing fancy with at least 400-speed film. 800-speed film is
also good at night but you'll have to test your cameras flash strength to see which
speed works best for you. Even those single use 35mm cameras have gotten good results. If you are more experienced photographer you may want to try infrared film. I have seen results from Polaroid’s but I suggest you only use these along with a 35 mm camera so you can compare the results. I have used Fuji film primarily but I have also used Kodak and a department store brands with similar results. When you develop them you don't need to go to a camera shop, the local drug store or department store is fine. Let them know you want all the pictures developed so that you get the pictures that they might think are bad ones. These "bad ones" are normally your best ectoplasm mist photos.
* Digital Camera - Regardless of what you've heard digital cameras are great tools for ghost researchers. Once upon a time they had their limitations and problems but that is no longer the case. Not only do they allow you to see instantly if you have a positive photo, they can also take photos in limited infrared range of light.
* Flashlights w/ spare batteries - a common sense item. Remember to bring spare batteries for everything. Due to spirit activity, batteries often run down very
fast and you don't want to miss anything because of dead batteries. I recommend using a red lens flash light to help preserve your night vision. More
info on red lenses and how to make your own here
* First aid kit - just in case, it's very easy to trip in the dark and get cut.
* Notebook w/ pens and pencils- you need to write and log in everything that
happens. If you don't then you really don't have much research information. An
example of this is one investigator gets a EMF reading that's high and never writes it down. Another investigator takes a picture of the same area but is not aware of the reading and gets a anomalous image. Without that EMF reading the picture may be good evidence, but with a report noting the reading, the picture greatly increases in evidence value. Many investigators use a pocket tape recorder in stead and that is fine, just make sure you have spare batteries
and tapes.
* Jackets or weather appropriate clothes - if you are cold you are not at your best
and your observation skill could suffer, pretty common sense.
* Watch - so you can log in the times of events and your arrival and departure.
Advanced and Optional
* Video camera (optional tripod) - Video cameras are an important instrument for an investigation. Unlike still cameras they provide us with constant visual and audio surveillance for review and observation. The video cameras we use are equipped with infrared capability and this is the mode we use. With video any phenomena occurring can be documented in its entirety. This will show the length of time the phenomena occurs, what is happening, the conditions surrounding the phenomena, and possibly even the cause of the phenomena..
The Sony line of camcorders has an infrared night shot feature that enables you to video tape in complete darkness and see beyond what the human eye can see. You can use these on tripods or walk around with them. You should also invest in an infrared light extender which will help your camera see in the darkest places and make the quality of the video better.
* Tape recorder w/ external microphone and high grade tapes - recorders or digital voice recorders are with out a doubt one of the most important pieces of equipment that you should have in you investigators toolbox. audio recorders are used for many different purposes throughout an investigation. Recorders are used for interviews, spontaneous thoughts, your notes and electronic voice phenomena (EVP). You have to use a external microphone when recording EVPs (ghosts voices). If you rely on the internal microphone you will also be recording the internal gears and motors and this will make your tape worthless.
Any sound you hear on the tape could not be used as evidence because of this, so use the external mic they are pretty inexpensive. The type of tape that is most often recommended is high bias tapes or metal tapes.
* Digital audio recorders - This recorder is small and easy to carry. You can also
use the voice activation feature so there is less audio to review. I use this for
my notes as well. Most units record the time of the recording as well which is very useful. When using audio recorders be sure to state the location, time of investigation, and investigators names. When recording investigators names it
would be wise to have each individual present state their own names, which will
make it easier for distinction amongst voices heard on the tape during review.
Voice activation mode should be deactivated on tape recorders during use when
electronic voice phenomena is trying to be achieved due to the fact that it usually
cuts off beginnings of words, sentences, and phrases. This is not necessary with digital recorders and they actual seem to work better in voice activation
mode.
* EMF Detector - The Electromagnetic Field Detector, also known as an EMF, is the modern day ghost researcher's tracking device, a very important piece of equipment. With this instrument it is possible to locate and track energy sources. It will detect fluctuations in electromagnetic fields and low strength moving EMF fields that have no source. It is a common theory that spirits disrupt this field in such a way that you can tell one is present by higher than normal readings with this meter. Before using the EMF, as a ghost research tool on an investigation be sure to walk around the area and take initial readings around energy sources such as light poles or electrical outlets to be sure of the readings you receive while scanning the area during the investigation. Most units when purchased come with a manual describing most household and major appliances and their corresponding electromagnetic reading. When using the EMF as a tracking device look for fluctuations of 2.0 to 7.0, this usually indicates spirit presence. Anything higher or lower is normally has a natural source.
* Cellular phone - if you have one it can come in handy in case of an
emergency.
* A Compass - it's a useful instrument to an investigator due to its compact size
and low cost price. When used on an investigation this will indicate spirit presence when the needle cannot come to a precise heading or spins/moves erratically. This works on the same principle as a EMF meter.
* Candles & matches - batteries often run low during hunts so you may run out
of them and still need a light source. Another good idea is a camping lantern that
runs on lamp oil. Be careful using the candles around motion detectors, they will
set them off.
* Motion Detectors - these can be used to sense movements by often unseen forces or spirits. You can get battery operated ones for about 20 dollars and they are great for inside but I have seen them used successfully outdoors as well, just watch the placement. You don't want a tree branch setting it off.
* Thermometer or Thermal Scanner - Thermometers are an instrument that is also very useful. There are two types used regular digital thermometers and infrared non contact thermometers. When used on an investigation this will aid as a detection system for spirit presence. Rapid temperature drop of 10 degrees of more could indicate spirit presence. I recommend using the infrared non contact thermometers but cause they react in less than a second to a temperature drop and you can scan a large area quickly.
* Hand Held Radios - Or Walkie Talkies are very useful in a large outdoor area and a building with groups spread out in various rooms. They could be great in emergency situations or just to rotate groups. Be sure to be aware they could interfere with your EVP recording though.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Five: Step-by-Step Procedure
Here's a condensed version the most popular procedures for conducting outdoor
ghost hunts:
1. Have everyone meet near the location and decide who will work each piece of
equipment and divide into teams if necessary. Pick a person or leader that will
talk to anyone who comes in contact with the group (i.e. Police, Reporters, etc.)
2. Enter the site and either privately or as a group asks for blessing or protection
for the duration of the hunt. You can use this time to put yourself in a positive
frame of mind. It does not have to be a religious thing so everyone can do this in
some way. I do encourage everyone to take the 10 seconds this takes and do this. What can it hurt? It's better to be safe than sorry. Many experienced groups believe that there are evil spirits in many areas such as cemeteries and by saying a 10 second prayer or making sure you are in a positive frame of mind you can safely go about your business without worrying about them. An experienced demonologist will tell you that by doing this in the name of God or whatever good deity you worship, you will keep any non-human spirits at bay since they have to leave you alone when told so in this manner.
3. Walk around the area to get a feel for the surroundings and allow the spirits to
get a feel for you. Do this for about 20 minutes. Log in your start time and weather conditions and any other relevant information. You can also begin to set up any stationary equipment like camera on tripods or motion detectors. Make note of any areas that may cause you to get false readings or false positive pictures.
4. Now go out there and get some pictures and recordings. Be sure to note anything unusual that happens especially meter and temperature readings, visual sightings and strange sounds. Also make notes of any feelings or emotions you feel that may be odd or out of place. You can compare notes after the hunt and look for similarities in readings and feeling in certain areas or at certain times.
5. Whether you stake out a spot or you walk around try to give everyone the opportunity to try everything and be everywhere. This keeps every one fresh and at attention. Rotate a few times during the investigation.
6. When you are done have everyone meet in one spot and ask the human spirits here not to follow you home and to remain here. Tell the others they must remain here in the name of God (or other good deities). Again this takes 4 seconds, it's simple and it can save you some problems down the road. If we are wrong about these prayers at the beginning and end of the hunt and they are not necessary then you wasted 14 seconds of your time. If we are right about them, you saved yourself from allot of problems and grief.
Some additional steps for a house or building ghost hunt/investigation
* Every investigator or team should keep a log of events/times - everything needs
to be logged, not matter how trivial. You sneeze, log it in, it may have sounded
like something else to another member elsewhere in the building.
* All members and owners if possible, walk through the location. One members
map location noting: air vents, heater, and electrical appliances, fuse boxes,
computer, etc. Mark down the temperatures in the rooms and any EMF reading you get during this walk through. One member take 5-10 test photos during the walk through. Do not discuss the details of the case during this walk through.
* 1-2 investigators and taped/videoed should interview any witnesses that have not been interviewed before if it's OK with the witness. The other members should walk around the location and record any feelings or observations. Only the interviewers will know the location of events and sightings.
* Make no conclusions. Share no conclusions or opinions with the witnesses or owners until all the reports, photos and tapes are reviewed. You need to see the
evidence and correlate it before you can give an educated opinion.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Six: Taking Pictures
* Open your film and load your camera after walking around the location for
about 20 minutes first.
* Use at least 400-speed 35 mm film. 400 and 800 speeds work the best. Black
and White film also works well.
* If you are an experienced photographer, you may want to try infrared film,
which also has had excellent results in the past.
* Make sure you note any other lights in the area so when you view your
developed pictures you will not think a streetlight is an orb.
* Make sure you clean your camera's lens regularly.
* no smoking at the location, this can appear like mist on the photos so you don't
want to contaminate your evidence.
* Watch for dust or dirt being stirred up in the area you are photographing. They
can give false positive pictures.
* All long hair should be tied back or under a hat, again this is to eliminate any
false positive pictures and to give the skeptics less ammunition.
* Remove or tie up any camera straps so you don't take a picture of that, it looks
like a vortex when photographed.
* Watch for reflective surfaces and make notes of them. The flash reflected off
shiny surfaces such as windows, polished tombstones, etc. could look light an orb or other anomaly. Make note of streetlights and any other light source that
may appear on the film.
* Let fellow investigators know when you are taking a photo so that you don't get
double flashes and the night scope operators can look away. If you think you have a double flash photo or any other false positive, log the picture number so you can exclude that photo from the batch when they are developed. Night scope operators can get eye damage if they are looking at a flash through the scope so this is important.
* In cold weather be conscious of your breath so you don't photograph that, it'll
look like ectoplasm mist. If you think you may have, log that picture number and
discard it when you develop the pictures.
* Many people like to ask the spirit if they can take their picture, it can't hurt.
* Take pictures anywhere and everywhere. If you feel some thing or someone
else does, take a picture. Did you think you saw something, take a picture. Take
photos whenever you get a positive reading on any piece of equipment.
* Sometimes you will see an orb, mist or sparkles in your flash or others flashes,
take more pictures right there, you may be near a spirit.
* You may only get about 1- 2 pictures for every 50 you take, that's about the
average, so don't get discouraged. I've been at sites where I didn't get any and
others where 30% of the ones we took were positive.
* Don't pay for fancy developing, you can get them developed anywhere. Just let
them developers know to process and print every photo. I use the local discount
stores photo service.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Seven: Audio and Video
* You can set up stationary recorders and just let them run or you can walk around with them. During audio recording, ask questions whether general ones or one specific to a certain spirit. You can find a few ideas of question on or near the gravestones (i.e. how did you die, ask who left flowers, etc.)
* Make sure you view or listen to the whole tape. EVPs are usually not heard at
the time of recording but are heard only after the tape is reviewed.
* Review notes where you should have recorded any normal sounds as well as
unexplained ones (dogs barking, cars, etc.) This way you can tell what a sound is
that wasn't heard by you at the time but is now on the tape.
Table of Contents
Chapter One Before you read.
Chapter Two General Tips.
Chapter Three Where to Look.
Chapter Four What to Bring.
Chapter Five Step-by-Step Procedure.
Chapter Six Taking Pictures.
Chapter Seven Audio and Video.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter One: Before You Read
Definitions:
Ghost Hunt- going to a place where there have been no sightings of ghosts and trying to catch some on film (video and photos), sounds, eyewitness, etc. (graveyards are the number one place to start, churches, schools and older buildings too)
Ghost Investigation- going to a known haunted place and recording data (video, photos,audio, temperatures), notes, interviews and other evidence to prove/disprove the hauntingand to assist the owners and the spirits in moving on and leaving the place if they want that. The assistance can be either you directly assisting the owner with the situation or putting them in contact with experienced groups or individuals that will try to resolve the situation. Your assistance can be something as simple as educating them on what is going on and their options.
What you may encounter:
There are generally two types of spirits you may encounter. One was a human at one time and it has remained on this level for some reason. It may not know it's dead, may be held here by unfinished business, guilt, etc. These spirits are like the person was when they were alive, so they could be good or bad, just like the living, but not normally dangerous.
This human spirit is the type you will encounter 95% of the time. You could also witness a residual haunting which is just a playback of a past event. This is just like watching a video from the past playing over and over. The other types of spirit you may encounter were never human and are generally bad news. You must be aware of this type but not obsessed with them, the chances that you will encounter them in a regular ghost hunt are slim. I have experienced both types and I just want to make you aware of their existence.
So be aware and protect yourself and you should have no problem.
Types of Haunting
The first type of haunting is exactly like a video playback of a historic or tragic event.
This is called a residual haunting. The event unfolds in front of you and there is no
interaction between you and the ghosts. They seem to not notice you and go through the motions of the event that occurred in the past. This event has been imprinted on the area or building and is replayed back later when conditions are right. The ghosts that you see in this type are not earthbound spirits; they are just visual playbacks. Since everything is made up of energy, the theory is that some of the energy from an event can be recorded by certain materials and played back when the atmosphere triggers it. Remember that video and audiotape is just oxidized (rust) film that enables the images and sounds to "stick" to it. This type may be frightening when you see it, but you are in no danger so enjoy the experience.
Ghost Hunting 101.
The second type of haunting is an interactive spirit that manifests in many ways. You
may see a full bodied or partial bodied apparition. More frequently than that, you may here voices, music, footsteps, etc. You may also smell odors which sources cannot be found (i.e. pipe tobacco when no one smokes). You may also see orbs, mists and other light effects. You may feel touches, cold spots, and other light physical contact. This ghost is the spirit of a deceased human being. They may be stuck here (earthbound) for reasons such as tragic sudden death, fear of moving on, guilt or unfinished business. They also could be here visiting loved ones or to warn or pass along a message. These human spirits are the same as they were in life, so they may be good or bad, but not really evil.
Think of all the people you know, probably a bit of good and bad, some worse than
others. This type can cause some scary situations but you must think about the situation they are in, you don't see them but they see you. They will try to get your attention any way they can. Many times this is the terrifying event people will write to me about like the lights going on and off, items moving, noises, etc. For the most part these are just attention getters and nothing more. There are a few more mischievous human spirits that
will do these things to bother you and scare you on purpose. They may just be a prankster or maybe they want you to leave the old home or not to change something in the home.
They have all the same motivations you and I would have. These human spirits account
for a majority of the haunting we encounter and are relatively harmless. Yes, there are extreme cases and sometimes they can cause dangerous situations, but this is not the norm and is rare.
The third type of ghost you may encounter is not a rare one, but is rare that they interactwith the living. They are non-human spirits, commonly known as demons and devils.
They are mentioned in the bible numerous places in both the old and new testaments.
People like Ed and Lorraine Warren have been dealing with this type of spirit for years.
This type is dangerous and can cause you harm. I believe that if there is good, there must be a counter balance, evil. These non-human spirits often disguise themselves and friendly and helpful human spirits. They often appear in cases dealing with Ouija boards, black magic and satanic worship. This is why I recommend not trying to contact spirits and doing ghost hunts without some understanding of what's out there. It's also why I recommend you go with or learn from experienced people before hand. That way you can ghost hunt with relative safety from these entities.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Two: General Tips
Check out the area in daylight so you are familiar with the area. Look for dangerous
places and obstacles that you will not be able to see in the dark.
Look for no trespassing signs. Make sure you are not trespassing. If you are on private property you are risking getting a ticket or arrested in some areas. You can get permission from many owners and or caretakers. We will often notify the local Police that we will be in a graveyard "taking pictures" so they are aware of our presence. If you are asked to leave do so immediately, you will not win this argument and you make other investigators look bad if you make a scene.
Make sure you bring you ID. (Drivers license, etc.) So if the police question you you can prove who you are.
Never go alone. This is just common sense. If you get hurt, who will get help?
The best times are from 9pm to 6am, these are the psychic hours, but anytime can
produce results. Photos have historically been better in the dark but don't let that
discourage you from taking them during the day.
Find out all you can about the history of the locale. Newspapers, town historians, WWW and books can be helpful finding folklore or hard facts about the site. The books and web pages dealing with this type of info is enormous. We have a haunted places listing here with over 1000 places listed.
If it is is raining, snowing or foggy and you are scheduled to do an out door ghost hunt,reschedule it. You cannot conduct a proper investigation in these conditions.
Keep an open mind; any negative feelings may drive the spirits away. Be respectful of the locations and the dead.
Be skeptical; look for causes for any phenomenon such as natural or man-made causes.
As an investigator you have to make sure your final evidence will stand up to scrutiny.
By eliminating all other explanations, your evidence becomes stronger proof.
No smoking, alcohol or drugs at an investigation for mostly obvious reasons.
No whispering, it can taint your recording results.
The Tax Assessors Office can give you historical info on many locations you visit.
Do not wear perfume, cologne or anything else with a very noticeable scent. This is so someone does not mistake the smell for a supernatural occurrence. Spirits often use scents and smells to get our attention.
Make sure you let someone know where you will be so they will know in case of
emergency.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Three: Where to Look
These are some places you can start your ghost hunting at. These are suggestions and you should not limit yourself to just these, spirits can be anywhere. Don't let the age of a building or area fool you. Also, remember do not trespass.
Cemeteries - The age of the cemetery doesn't matter but the older it is, the more time it has had to accumulate restless spirits. Why cemeteries? Well there are theories such as they are portals to the other side or that some spirits are drawn to their former bodies.
Schools - Schools and former sites of schools may have the build up of psychic energies and imprints of all the highly emotional events that have transpired there.
Theaters - The actors have run the gambit of human emotions inside the walls of a theater plus many have interesting haunting attached to them.
Battlefields - These are great locations simply because of their nature. Many violent
deaths in one area will always hold some spirits and psychic energy there.
Churches - There is a long history of the faithful returning to the church they worshipped at. They may be looking for the salvation they were promised and cannot find.
Hotels/Motels/Boarding houses - Many dark dealing and highly emotional events take
places in these rooms.
Historic Locations - Many historic buildings, because of their age, have had more time to have spirits attach to it. These buildings are often open the public and can give you a easy place to start. Many even have known histories of haunting and you may be able to gain access to the building after hours after speaking with the caretakers.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Four: What to Bring
The Basics:
* 35mm Camera - Nothing fancy with at least 400-speed film. 800-speed film is
also good at night but you'll have to test your cameras flash strength to see which
speed works best for you. Even those single use 35mm cameras have gotten good results. If you are more experienced photographer you may want to try infrared film. I have seen results from Polaroid’s but I suggest you only use these along with a 35 mm camera so you can compare the results. I have used Fuji film primarily but I have also used Kodak and a department store brands with similar results. When you develop them you don't need to go to a camera shop, the local drug store or department store is fine. Let them know you want all the pictures developed so that you get the pictures that they might think are bad ones. These "bad ones" are normally your best ectoplasm mist photos.
* Digital Camera - Regardless of what you've heard digital cameras are great tools for ghost researchers. Once upon a time they had their limitations and problems but that is no longer the case. Not only do they allow you to see instantly if you have a positive photo, they can also take photos in limited infrared range of light.
* Flashlights w/ spare batteries - a common sense item. Remember to bring spare batteries for everything. Due to spirit activity, batteries often run down very
fast and you don't want to miss anything because of dead batteries. I recommend using a red lens flash light to help preserve your night vision. More
info on red lenses and how to make your own here
* First aid kit - just in case, it's very easy to trip in the dark and get cut.
* Notebook w/ pens and pencils- you need to write and log in everything that
happens. If you don't then you really don't have much research information. An
example of this is one investigator gets a EMF reading that's high and never writes it down. Another investigator takes a picture of the same area but is not aware of the reading and gets a anomalous image. Without that EMF reading the picture may be good evidence, but with a report noting the reading, the picture greatly increases in evidence value. Many investigators use a pocket tape recorder in stead and that is fine, just make sure you have spare batteries
and tapes.
* Jackets or weather appropriate clothes - if you are cold you are not at your best
and your observation skill could suffer, pretty common sense.
* Watch - so you can log in the times of events and your arrival and departure.
Advanced and Optional
* Video camera (optional tripod) - Video cameras are an important instrument for an investigation. Unlike still cameras they provide us with constant visual and audio surveillance for review and observation. The video cameras we use are equipped with infrared capability and this is the mode we use. With video any phenomena occurring can be documented in its entirety. This will show the length of time the phenomena occurs, what is happening, the conditions surrounding the phenomena, and possibly even the cause of the phenomena..
The Sony line of camcorders has an infrared night shot feature that enables you to video tape in complete darkness and see beyond what the human eye can see. You can use these on tripods or walk around with them. You should also invest in an infrared light extender which will help your camera see in the darkest places and make the quality of the video better.
* Tape recorder w/ external microphone and high grade tapes - recorders or digital voice recorders are with out a doubt one of the most important pieces of equipment that you should have in you investigators toolbox. audio recorders are used for many different purposes throughout an investigation. Recorders are used for interviews, spontaneous thoughts, your notes and electronic voice phenomena (EVP). You have to use a external microphone when recording EVPs (ghosts voices). If you rely on the internal microphone you will also be recording the internal gears and motors and this will make your tape worthless.
Any sound you hear on the tape could not be used as evidence because of this, so use the external mic they are pretty inexpensive. The type of tape that is most often recommended is high bias tapes or metal tapes.
* Digital audio recorders - This recorder is small and easy to carry. You can also
use the voice activation feature so there is less audio to review. I use this for
my notes as well. Most units record the time of the recording as well which is very useful. When using audio recorders be sure to state the location, time of investigation, and investigators names. When recording investigators names it
would be wise to have each individual present state their own names, which will
make it easier for distinction amongst voices heard on the tape during review.
Voice activation mode should be deactivated on tape recorders during use when
electronic voice phenomena is trying to be achieved due to the fact that it usually
cuts off beginnings of words, sentences, and phrases. This is not necessary with digital recorders and they actual seem to work better in voice activation
mode.
* EMF Detector - The Electromagnetic Field Detector, also known as an EMF, is the modern day ghost researcher's tracking device, a very important piece of equipment. With this instrument it is possible to locate and track energy sources. It will detect fluctuations in electromagnetic fields and low strength moving EMF fields that have no source. It is a common theory that spirits disrupt this field in such a way that you can tell one is present by higher than normal readings with this meter. Before using the EMF, as a ghost research tool on an investigation be sure to walk around the area and take initial readings around energy sources such as light poles or electrical outlets to be sure of the readings you receive while scanning the area during the investigation. Most units when purchased come with a manual describing most household and major appliances and their corresponding electromagnetic reading. When using the EMF as a tracking device look for fluctuations of 2.0 to 7.0, this usually indicates spirit presence. Anything higher or lower is normally has a natural source.
* Cellular phone - if you have one it can come in handy in case of an
emergency.
* A Compass - it's a useful instrument to an investigator due to its compact size
and low cost price. When used on an investigation this will indicate spirit presence when the needle cannot come to a precise heading or spins/moves erratically. This works on the same principle as a EMF meter.
* Candles & matches - batteries often run low during hunts so you may run out
of them and still need a light source. Another good idea is a camping lantern that
runs on lamp oil. Be careful using the candles around motion detectors, they will
set them off.
* Motion Detectors - these can be used to sense movements by often unseen forces or spirits. You can get battery operated ones for about 20 dollars and they are great for inside but I have seen them used successfully outdoors as well, just watch the placement. You don't want a tree branch setting it off.
* Thermometer or Thermal Scanner - Thermometers are an instrument that is also very useful. There are two types used regular digital thermometers and infrared non contact thermometers. When used on an investigation this will aid as a detection system for spirit presence. Rapid temperature drop of 10 degrees of more could indicate spirit presence. I recommend using the infrared non contact thermometers but cause they react in less than a second to a temperature drop and you can scan a large area quickly.
* Hand Held Radios - Or Walkie Talkies are very useful in a large outdoor area and a building with groups spread out in various rooms. They could be great in emergency situations or just to rotate groups. Be sure to be aware they could interfere with your EVP recording though.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Five: Step-by-Step Procedure
Here's a condensed version the most popular procedures for conducting outdoor
ghost hunts:
1. Have everyone meet near the location and decide who will work each piece of
equipment and divide into teams if necessary. Pick a person or leader that will
talk to anyone who comes in contact with the group (i.e. Police, Reporters, etc.)
2. Enter the site and either privately or as a group asks for blessing or protection
for the duration of the hunt. You can use this time to put yourself in a positive
frame of mind. It does not have to be a religious thing so everyone can do this in
some way. I do encourage everyone to take the 10 seconds this takes and do this. What can it hurt? It's better to be safe than sorry. Many experienced groups believe that there are evil spirits in many areas such as cemeteries and by saying a 10 second prayer or making sure you are in a positive frame of mind you can safely go about your business without worrying about them. An experienced demonologist will tell you that by doing this in the name of God or whatever good deity you worship, you will keep any non-human spirits at bay since they have to leave you alone when told so in this manner.
3. Walk around the area to get a feel for the surroundings and allow the spirits to
get a feel for you. Do this for about 20 minutes. Log in your start time and weather conditions and any other relevant information. You can also begin to set up any stationary equipment like camera on tripods or motion detectors. Make note of any areas that may cause you to get false readings or false positive pictures.
4. Now go out there and get some pictures and recordings. Be sure to note anything unusual that happens especially meter and temperature readings, visual sightings and strange sounds. Also make notes of any feelings or emotions you feel that may be odd or out of place. You can compare notes after the hunt and look for similarities in readings and feeling in certain areas or at certain times.
5. Whether you stake out a spot or you walk around try to give everyone the opportunity to try everything and be everywhere. This keeps every one fresh and at attention. Rotate a few times during the investigation.
6. When you are done have everyone meet in one spot and ask the human spirits here not to follow you home and to remain here. Tell the others they must remain here in the name of God (or other good deities). Again this takes 4 seconds, it's simple and it can save you some problems down the road. If we are wrong about these prayers at the beginning and end of the hunt and they are not necessary then you wasted 14 seconds of your time. If we are right about them, you saved yourself from allot of problems and grief.
Some additional steps for a house or building ghost hunt/investigation
* Every investigator or team should keep a log of events/times - everything needs
to be logged, not matter how trivial. You sneeze, log it in, it may have sounded
like something else to another member elsewhere in the building.
* All members and owners if possible, walk through the location. One members
map location noting: air vents, heater, and electrical appliances, fuse boxes,
computer, etc. Mark down the temperatures in the rooms and any EMF reading you get during this walk through. One member take 5-10 test photos during the walk through. Do not discuss the details of the case during this walk through.
* 1-2 investigators and taped/videoed should interview any witnesses that have not been interviewed before if it's OK with the witness. The other members should walk around the location and record any feelings or observations. Only the interviewers will know the location of events and sightings.
* Make no conclusions. Share no conclusions or opinions with the witnesses or owners until all the reports, photos and tapes are reviewed. You need to see the
evidence and correlate it before you can give an educated opinion.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Six: Taking Pictures
* Open your film and load your camera after walking around the location for
about 20 minutes first.
* Use at least 400-speed 35 mm film. 400 and 800 speeds work the best. Black
and White film also works well.
* If you are an experienced photographer, you may want to try infrared film,
which also has had excellent results in the past.
* Make sure you note any other lights in the area so when you view your
developed pictures you will not think a streetlight is an orb.
* Make sure you clean your camera's lens regularly.
* no smoking at the location, this can appear like mist on the photos so you don't
want to contaminate your evidence.
* Watch for dust or dirt being stirred up in the area you are photographing. They
can give false positive pictures.
* All long hair should be tied back or under a hat, again this is to eliminate any
false positive pictures and to give the skeptics less ammunition.
* Remove or tie up any camera straps so you don't take a picture of that, it looks
like a vortex when photographed.
* Watch for reflective surfaces and make notes of them. The flash reflected off
shiny surfaces such as windows, polished tombstones, etc. could look light an orb or other anomaly. Make note of streetlights and any other light source that
may appear on the film.
* Let fellow investigators know when you are taking a photo so that you don't get
double flashes and the night scope operators can look away. If you think you have a double flash photo or any other false positive, log the picture number so you can exclude that photo from the batch when they are developed. Night scope operators can get eye damage if they are looking at a flash through the scope so this is important.
* In cold weather be conscious of your breath so you don't photograph that, it'll
look like ectoplasm mist. If you think you may have, log that picture number and
discard it when you develop the pictures.
* Many people like to ask the spirit if they can take their picture, it can't hurt.
* Take pictures anywhere and everywhere. If you feel some thing or someone
else does, take a picture. Did you think you saw something, take a picture. Take
photos whenever you get a positive reading on any piece of equipment.
* Sometimes you will see an orb, mist or sparkles in your flash or others flashes,
take more pictures right there, you may be near a spirit.
* You may only get about 1- 2 pictures for every 50 you take, that's about the
average, so don't get discouraged. I've been at sites where I didn't get any and
others where 30% of the ones we took were positive.
* Don't pay for fancy developing, you can get them developed anywhere. Just let
them developers know to process and print every photo. I use the local discount
stores photo service.
Ghost Hunting 101.
Chapter Seven: Audio and Video
* You can set up stationary recorders and just let them run or you can walk around with them. During audio recording, ask questions whether general ones or one specific to a certain spirit. You can find a few ideas of question on or near the gravestones (i.e. how did you die, ask who left flowers, etc.)
* Make sure you view or listen to the whole tape. EVPs are usually not heard at
the time of recording but are heard only after the tape is reviewed.
* Review notes where you should have recorded any normal sounds as well as
unexplained ones (dogs barking, cars, etc.) This way you can tell what a sound is
that wasn't heard by you at the time but is now on the tape.
Types of Hauntings
Types of Hauntings
This article is to give ghost hunters an insight to the different types of hauntings that can be found during an investigation.
Many people do not know that there are more than one type of haunting.
Many people classify hauntings as any type of experience with a ghost.
While ghosts are an essential part of hauntings, they are not associated with all hauntings.
This article will give a brief breakdown of the types of hantings.
Traditional (Conscious) Hauntings - This type of haunting is probably the most accepted type of haunting but is not as common as one might think. These type of hauntings involve a ghost that is an intelligent or interactive type of ghost. This means that they can interact with this world and know what is going on around them. They will try to communicate and are aware when people are around. They will respond to someone who talks to them and when an apparition appears, may even look at someone that calls to them or acknowledges their presence. These type of hauntings are usually connected to the location or a person that is at that location.
The interactive ghost is the consciousness of the person that once lived. This means that it has all of the personality, habits and knowledge of the person that lived. What this means is that the person decided to stay behind instead of moving on, whether it was because of a murder, unfinished business, an accidental death, undying love for someone, or many other reasons.
Because of the fact that the ghost retains all of the emotions and personality of the living person it once was, there is the potential for there to be benevolent, or peaceful spirits as well as malevolent, or angry sprits.
The more benevolent sprits are peaceful and give a sense of "everything's ok".
The malevolent spirits give off an angry feel in the air and there is tension and animosity around the area that is haunted by a malevolent spirit.
These negative spirits are not evil but are angry. This may be due to their confusion and unsure of what is going on around them. They may also be have been an angry person in life and carried that over in death.
Residual Hauntings - This type of haunting is like watching a movie loop over and over again. These hauntings are caused by energy that has been imprinted on a particular place.
Residual hauntings can take place at places where many people congregate such as hotels, sports complexes, apartments complexes, etc.
These hauntings are caused when a major event takes place at a location and the psychic memory of that event is left behind after those people are gone.
Many times these hauntings are said to have sounds and smells as well as the rare apparition sighting.
The difference between a traditional and a residual haunting is that the ghost in the residual haunting is not responsive.
You can talk to it and it will not respond. You can be standing near it and it will not acknowledge your presence.
This is because is is a replay of an event long passed.
This haunting can also be connected to plots of land as well.
Residual hauntings can occur even when the building that it once occurred in is gone. T
here have been reports of people being in the woods of an area whether camping or hunting and then all of a sudden be caught in the middle of a civil war battle. This is due to the psychic energy of that major battle imprinted on that land replaying itself. Evidence of ghosts can be recorded such as EVP, EM readings and photographic evidence.
Poltergeist Hauntings - Thanks to Hollywood, the word poltergeist is a household word.
While entertaining, the movies of Hollywood do not show the true poltergeist.
From the German word meaning "noisy ghost", a poltergeist is centered around a person, usually called an agent.
This person is unknowing that they are causing the events that are taking place. While poltergeist activity can take place with any agent, it is more prevalent in adolescent girls during their puberty stage of life.
Poltergeist activity is associated with objects being moved and thrown through the air as well as footsteps and rapping sounds.
While these sounds are similar to the activity of the previous two types, the activity is coming from a person, not the ghost.
The agent is actually causing the events to happen unknowingly.
The agent has emotions held up inside due to stress and other aggravating factors. The agent has no way of expressing these emotions so they lash out psychically through the events found in a poltergeist case.
When investigating a poltergeist case, there will be no scientific evidence to be found in the form of EM readings, EVP and photographic evidence.
That is because there is no ghost.
The way to determine this type of haunting is to remove the possible agent and see if the activity continues.
This activity is short term, ranging from a few weeks to as long as a few years. Poltergeist activity however averages from weeks to a few months long.
Counseling for the agent will often help if not extinguish the activity all together.
Inhuman Hauntings - This type of haunting is not very common.
Inhuman hauntings are almost always malevolent beings.
The difference between ghostly hauntings and inhuman hauntings is that the name says it all, they were never human. These hauntings fall under a "demonic" category. These hauntings may in fact coincide with possession.
Anyone who has ever encountered one of the beings can tell you that it is not a pleasant experience.
These usually have to be dealt with on a much higher level such as having spiritual leaders come and assist in banishing the entity.
This can be a grueling ordeal.
Let's hope we don't ever have to deal with many of these.
Different Point of Views
Different Types of Hauntings
Ghosts are here for Different Reasons
When a specter makes its presence known, it can be extremely frightening, but they usually mean no harm. They may not be aware that anyone can see them.
A ghost is a ghost, or is it? Actually there is more to it than that. There are several different types of entities. Some of them are aware of those around them, while others are simply replaying events that have happened in the past. Any of these can be very scary for those who can see them, but most are harmless.
Here is a brief description of the most common types of hauntings.
Residual Ghosts
These are by far the most common type of entity seen.
Usually what is actually happening is a scene from the past is being replayed, with the specter not being aware that anyone else is watching. It is kind of like a tape being played over and over.
Often they are seen at the same time, happening on an anniversary of the actual occurrence.
It may replay every month on a certain day or just once a year.
Intelligent Ghosts
These can be extremely scary, as they are aware of the people around them, and will often try to make their presence known.
They sometimes move around and might attempt to move something to get attention. Usually they have stayed in a certain area for emotional reasons.
It might be where they once lived, or where they died. Possibly they have left something unfinished, and feel that they cannot move on.
They may not have even realized that they are actually dead.
Poltergeists
These are perhaps the most frightening of all types of entities.
This is the kind of haunting most often seen in the movies, probably because they provoke the most activity.
They are able to move heavy objects and call out to those around them.
Often there is a teenage girl in the house, or another person who is in a stressful situation, who is bringing in these spirits without realizing it.
They can be very difficult to eradicate, and may be present for years.
Demons
Very rarely seen, demons have never been human. They are characterized by a strong, foul scent, similar to sulfur.
While most hauntings are accompanied by a feeling of cold, demons often warm the area around them.
Able to present themselves in any form, they are frequently seen as a black mass. Demons are actually able to do harm, and that is usually their intent.
They may attack if they desire, or even possess someone.
They have lived for thousands of years and cannot be destroyed.
The best that can be done is to get them to move on to another space.
Professional help from a paranormal group or member of the clergy is needed to make this happen.
If you are ever in an area where you feel unsafe or are scared,get out.
Do not put yourself or others in harms way.
If you do not want to go into a room or building ,do not enter.
Remember that in most cases a ghost or paranormal activity can not hurt you but may scare you and that will lead to someone getting hurt.
This article is to give ghost hunters an insight to the different types of hauntings that can be found during an investigation.
Many people do not know that there are more than one type of haunting.
Many people classify hauntings as any type of experience with a ghost.
While ghosts are an essential part of hauntings, they are not associated with all hauntings.
This article will give a brief breakdown of the types of hantings.
Traditional (Conscious) Hauntings - This type of haunting is probably the most accepted type of haunting but is not as common as one might think. These type of hauntings involve a ghost that is an intelligent or interactive type of ghost. This means that they can interact with this world and know what is going on around them. They will try to communicate and are aware when people are around. They will respond to someone who talks to them and when an apparition appears, may even look at someone that calls to them or acknowledges their presence. These type of hauntings are usually connected to the location or a person that is at that location.
The interactive ghost is the consciousness of the person that once lived. This means that it has all of the personality, habits and knowledge of the person that lived. What this means is that the person decided to stay behind instead of moving on, whether it was because of a murder, unfinished business, an accidental death, undying love for someone, or many other reasons.
Because of the fact that the ghost retains all of the emotions and personality of the living person it once was, there is the potential for there to be benevolent, or peaceful spirits as well as malevolent, or angry sprits.
The more benevolent sprits are peaceful and give a sense of "everything's ok".
The malevolent spirits give off an angry feel in the air and there is tension and animosity around the area that is haunted by a malevolent spirit.
These negative spirits are not evil but are angry. This may be due to their confusion and unsure of what is going on around them. They may also be have been an angry person in life and carried that over in death.
Residual Hauntings - This type of haunting is like watching a movie loop over and over again. These hauntings are caused by energy that has been imprinted on a particular place.
Residual hauntings can take place at places where many people congregate such as hotels, sports complexes, apartments complexes, etc.
These hauntings are caused when a major event takes place at a location and the psychic memory of that event is left behind after those people are gone.
Many times these hauntings are said to have sounds and smells as well as the rare apparition sighting.
The difference between a traditional and a residual haunting is that the ghost in the residual haunting is not responsive.
You can talk to it and it will not respond. You can be standing near it and it will not acknowledge your presence.
This is because is is a replay of an event long passed.
This haunting can also be connected to plots of land as well.
Residual hauntings can occur even when the building that it once occurred in is gone. T
here have been reports of people being in the woods of an area whether camping or hunting and then all of a sudden be caught in the middle of a civil war battle. This is due to the psychic energy of that major battle imprinted on that land replaying itself. Evidence of ghosts can be recorded such as EVP, EM readings and photographic evidence.
Poltergeist Hauntings - Thanks to Hollywood, the word poltergeist is a household word.
While entertaining, the movies of Hollywood do not show the true poltergeist.
From the German word meaning "noisy ghost", a poltergeist is centered around a person, usually called an agent.
This person is unknowing that they are causing the events that are taking place. While poltergeist activity can take place with any agent, it is more prevalent in adolescent girls during their puberty stage of life.
Poltergeist activity is associated with objects being moved and thrown through the air as well as footsteps and rapping sounds.
While these sounds are similar to the activity of the previous two types, the activity is coming from a person, not the ghost.
The agent is actually causing the events to happen unknowingly.
The agent has emotions held up inside due to stress and other aggravating factors. The agent has no way of expressing these emotions so they lash out psychically through the events found in a poltergeist case.
When investigating a poltergeist case, there will be no scientific evidence to be found in the form of EM readings, EVP and photographic evidence.
That is because there is no ghost.
The way to determine this type of haunting is to remove the possible agent and see if the activity continues.
This activity is short term, ranging from a few weeks to as long as a few years. Poltergeist activity however averages from weeks to a few months long.
Counseling for the agent will often help if not extinguish the activity all together.
Inhuman Hauntings - This type of haunting is not very common.
Inhuman hauntings are almost always malevolent beings.
The difference between ghostly hauntings and inhuman hauntings is that the name says it all, they were never human. These hauntings fall under a "demonic" category. These hauntings may in fact coincide with possession.
Anyone who has ever encountered one of the beings can tell you that it is not a pleasant experience.
These usually have to be dealt with on a much higher level such as having spiritual leaders come and assist in banishing the entity.
This can be a grueling ordeal.
Let's hope we don't ever have to deal with many of these.
Different Point of Views
Different Types of Hauntings
Ghosts are here for Different Reasons
When a specter makes its presence known, it can be extremely frightening, but they usually mean no harm. They may not be aware that anyone can see them.
A ghost is a ghost, or is it? Actually there is more to it than that. There are several different types of entities. Some of them are aware of those around them, while others are simply replaying events that have happened in the past. Any of these can be very scary for those who can see them, but most are harmless.
Here is a brief description of the most common types of hauntings.
Residual Ghosts
These are by far the most common type of entity seen.
Usually what is actually happening is a scene from the past is being replayed, with the specter not being aware that anyone else is watching. It is kind of like a tape being played over and over.
Often they are seen at the same time, happening on an anniversary of the actual occurrence.
It may replay every month on a certain day or just once a year.
Intelligent Ghosts
These can be extremely scary, as they are aware of the people around them, and will often try to make their presence known.
They sometimes move around and might attempt to move something to get attention. Usually they have stayed in a certain area for emotional reasons.
It might be where they once lived, or where they died. Possibly they have left something unfinished, and feel that they cannot move on.
They may not have even realized that they are actually dead.
Poltergeists
These are perhaps the most frightening of all types of entities.
This is the kind of haunting most often seen in the movies, probably because they provoke the most activity.
They are able to move heavy objects and call out to those around them.
Often there is a teenage girl in the house, or another person who is in a stressful situation, who is bringing in these spirits without realizing it.
They can be very difficult to eradicate, and may be present for years.
Demons
Very rarely seen, demons have never been human. They are characterized by a strong, foul scent, similar to sulfur.
While most hauntings are accompanied by a feeling of cold, demons often warm the area around them.
Able to present themselves in any form, they are frequently seen as a black mass. Demons are actually able to do harm, and that is usually their intent.
They may attack if they desire, or even possess someone.
They have lived for thousands of years and cannot be destroyed.
The best that can be done is to get them to move on to another space.
Professional help from a paranormal group or member of the clergy is needed to make this happen.
If you are ever in an area where you feel unsafe or are scared,get out.
Do not put yourself or others in harms way.
If you do not want to go into a room or building ,do not enter.
Remember that in most cases a ghost or paranormal activity can not hurt you but may scare you and that will lead to someone getting hurt.
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