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Helpful
Hints for Hauntings
These
hints may help if you or someone you know is experiencing haunting
phenomena including unexplained environmental changes, sounds,
movement of objects, odors and smells, visual phenomena, electrical
disturbances, and sensing a presence.
Remain
Calm
Although many people experience strange events, very few of
them turn out to be paranormal (contrary to what you may have
seen on TV). It is important that you remain clear headed and
objective while dealing with this experience. Some experiences
happen only once, others reoccur. If your event only happened
once, it may not be possible to find the cause.
Document
Everything
If the events persist, each person who is witnessing the events
should start a written journal. Each person should record as
much information as possible about what they are experiencing.
Be sure to include time, date, where you were, what you were
doing, who else was at the location when the event occurred,
what they were doing, the weather, etc. Then write about the
event in as much detail as you can. These journals will be extremely
important when you begin to analyze the events.
Normal
or Paranormal?
Before you can begin to consider the possibility that you are
experiencing a haunting, you must first carefully rule out any
ordinary causes for the events. Review all your journals and
see if any patterns emerge. Use your best judgment and common
sense. In many cases, simple, everyday explanations can be found
for events that appear to be paranormal. Below are some common
experiences with explanations for their potential causes.
Normal
explanations for…
Photographic
anomalies:
Dust,
bugs, smoke, condensation, or reflections interpreted by the
software or mechanics of the camera as mists or "orbs."
Fraud. Mark Boccuzzi, Windbridge Institute researcher and
director of Tucson Paranormal Research, says, "In the
past year, a number of new apps that run on smart phones have
become available which add images of ghostly figures to your
photos. The apps, such as Ghost Capture, are very easy to
use and the resulting photos look rather convincing to the
untrained eye."
Hearing
voices:
Interference
from radio signals, walkie-talkies, aircraft chatter, etc.
Almost anything making a sound. "The human brain is a
very efficient pattern-recognition machine; it will hear words
or voices in almost any sound (and also see faces in almost
any visual pattern like, for example, the craters on the moon).
When a voice is heard or a face is seen, it doesn't reflect
the existence of those phenomena; it just means a human brain
was involved," reports Windbridge Institute director
of research Julie Beischel.
Other
strange noises:
Animals
like mice, squirrels, or raccoons moving in, on, or under
your home.
Neighbors.
The expansion and contraction of floors, ducts, pipes, etc.,
as they warm up or cool down. For example, "Picture hot
air traveling through a duct under your hallway floor. The
section of duct closest to the furnace will warm up slightly
faster than the part a few feet farther along the hall. As
that first area of duct warms, the floor above it might expand
slightly, making a creak. Then the second section of duct
warms, making another creak, and so on. The result? Creepy
footstep sounds" (Alexander & Muzzillo).
Sense
of presence or visual apparitions:
The effect
of electromagnetic fields or global geomagnetic activity on
perception (see the recent Neuropsychiatry
of Paranormal Experiences by Michael Persinger for more
information on the research performed in this area).
What James Houran, editor of Hauntings
and Poltergeists: Multidisciplinary Perspectives calls
the "simple recipe" of "one part lighting and
shadow effects mixed together with strong suggestion and a
big heap of belief in the paranormal" (Alexander &
Muzzillo).
Electronics
run amok:
Nearby
remote controls (for example, your neighbor's garage door
opener).
Faulty building wiring.
Disruptions in the local power grid.
Almost dead batteries.
Moving
objects:
Gravity.
Vibrations from passing vehicles or aircraft.
Microtremors.
Houran says it's most likely "outright trickery, a tired
person with a poor memory about where things were left, or
animal antics" (Alexander & Muzzillo).
Doors
that open spontaneously:
Wood that
expands and contracts with differences in temperature and/or
humidity.
Air pressure changes that occur when other doors (especially
doors to outside) are opened or heating/cooling systems turn
on or off.
Faulty hardware that doesn't properly latch.
The feeling
of abrupt temperature changes:
Drafts
resulting from poor insulation.
Psychological
states caused by anything from contrasting lighting levels
to fear or "paranormal priming" (for example, experiencing
regular events as spooky or scary because of a recently viewed
horror movie).
Strange
odors or smells:
Odors
from the perfume, cigars, cigarettes, or pets of previous
tenants or owners can linger in carpets, subfloors, wallpaper,
furniture, window coverings, etc. or come from nearby neighbors.
Noxious
gases from sewer lines.
For all
of these experiences, additional explanations may include fraud,
deception, or trickery (that is, someone at the location could
simply be playing a prank). In rare cases, stress, fatigue,
or more serious psychiatric, medical, or substance abuse conditions
may be involved. These should only be diagnosed and treated
by a licensed healthcare professional.
Do Some Research
If you are truly convinced you are experiencing a haunting,
then the next step in dealing with it is to learn why it is
happening. Begin by researching the history of the location
or item that seems to be the focus of the haunting. Contact
previous owners or tenants and see if they have had similar
experiences. Attempt to understand the events and entities that
may be causing the haunting.
Take
Care of Yourself
Regardless of the cause, many people find these kinds of experiences
stressful and frightening. Should you feel that you or any of
the other witnesses are having a difficult time, you should
not hesitate to contact your health care provider or a licensed
mental health professional for support.
Request
a Consultation
After you have examined all the possible normal causes for these
events and ruled them out and remain convinced something paranormal
is occurring, you may wish to contact Mark Boccuzzi at mark@windbridge.org
for an email consultation regarding your case.
Be
Wary of Ghost Hunters
There are thousands of amateur ghost hunting groups in existence
today. Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach says that TV shows featuring
these types of groups, "have done an absolute disservice
to the real process of field investigations of apparitions,
hauntings, and poltergeists, and to the people who often find
themselves needing help in apparent paranormal situations."
While it might be helpful to have an objective, outside opinion
about your experiences, you should be cautious before inviting
one of these groups into your home. While many of them claim
to be "scientific" or able to provide "psychic"
or "spiritual" help, very few are actually qualified
to do so. Currently, there are no regulations or standards for
ghost hunting groups; it appears that all one needs is a website.
Many of these groups incorporate different types of technology
in their investigations; often they tout the ownership of this
equipment (and its type or quantity) as an indicator of their
expertise, professionalism, or competence. Keep in mind that
the ability of technical equipment to detect the presence of
the deceased or other nonphysical entities has never been demonstrated
under controlled conditions (again, contrary to what you may
have seen on TV). If you should engage the assistance of one
of these groups, be sure to check their backgrounds and qualifications.
Simply asking about an investigator's scientific, professional,
or clinical training may help you find one that best fits your
needs.
Getting
Rid of a Ghost
There is no proven way to get rid of a ghost or stop a haunting.
It seems that ghosts move on when they are ready. There are
those who claim to be able to "clear" a house. While
some of these people may be reputable and may have had a high
success rate, be careful to hire only people that you trust.
Sources:
Alexander, B. & Muzzillo, A. What's Haunting Your House?
Persinger,
M. Neuropsychiatry of Paranormal Experiences.
Tucson
Paranormal Research. Experiencing a Haunting?
Further Reading:
Auerbach, L. A Paranormal Casebook: Ghost Hunting in the New
Millennium.
Auerbach,
L. Hauntings and Poltergeists: A Ghost Hunter's Guide.
Auerbach,
L. Ghost Hunting: How to Investigate the Paranormal.
Cornell,
T. Investigating the Paranormal.
Houran,
J. & Lange, R. Hauntings and Poltergeists: Multidisciplinary
Perspectives
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