Bobby Elgee asked:


This article was written in response to a recent newspaper article (published in the Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH on Saturday, July 10, 2009) pertaining to The Atlantic Paranormal Society’s (TAPS) recent investigation of the Amos J. Blake House Museum in Fitzwilliam, NH, the museum of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society, and their intention to use the footage on their television show Ghost Hunters.

As a paranormal investigator, I have participated in three investigations at the Amos J. Blake House Museum. The group I am a member of was invited to investigate the location by the museum’s curator. I am aware of approximately six different paranormal groups that have investigated the site.

Though there are some indications of paranormal activity at the museum, all I have personally experienced is one cold spot, an unexplained voice, as well as capturing photographs of some strange mist. This is certainly not enough evidence to declare the place haunted by the standards of most paranormal investigators, however, we are all aware of the rarity of such phenomena and the difficulty of catching such phenomena on tape.

More recently, reports have been made of multiple apparitions, objects moving, and intelligent spirits haunting the location. These phenomena–as well as other strange events–have been reported by several groups, though most of these claims were made by Conscious Spirits Paranormal Group (CSPG), a team founded by the museums curator.

These events were documented on CSPG’s Web site as recently as Thursday July 8th. Upon review of the groups site on Monday July 13, all references to the Amos J. Blake House investigations had been removed, though there is documentation of the groups investigation of the location at the Web site of the Keene State Equinox, a local college newspaper.

There are several links– accessible via Google searches–to CSPG’s Web site that portray their involvement with this location.

It is unclear to me why this information was deleted. I certainly enjoyed following the reported activity and even though our group considered the purported “evidence” to be highly exaggerated–being more attentive to debunking then many groups–I found it very entertaining.

At this point in time, two of the few sites where I can find any significant documentation of paranormal activity at the museum is on Dark Nights Paranormal’s as well as ECTO Paranormal’s, two teams of competent and tech-savvy investigators based in the general area. There is at least one other Web site where documentation of an investigation of the museum is posted, however, the location is not being disclosed–though it was previously identified as such.

Apparently,there was a minor controversy involved with “Ghost Hunters,” filming at the location, as it was reported that the museum’s Board of Directors had no prior knowledge of the TAPS investigation of the museum. The newspaper article published several comments from a member of the board pertaining to this fact, and–as of the time this article was written–there is still appears to be some question as to who signed the release form that allowed the filming in the first place. The paper also reported that the curator of the museum–who participated in the filming–had no comment.

I find it interesting that the board had no prior knowledge of a film crew being invited to the location. It is also of interest to note that the curator of the museum is a former member of the group I am involved with. This individual left our group abruptly in February or March–and subsequently formed her own group–shortly after informing me that TAPS had contacted her and had expressed interest in setting up on the location. It was also at this time that the reports of purported paranormal activity at the location increased significantly.

It is clear to me that TAPS was interested in this location, and–at least according to the curator–that there was some contact going on during this time between them and the museum..
In an open query to the Board of Directors of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society, I would ask the them to consider the publicity that may be garnered from the location’s appearance on a national television show. In my experience, considering locations like the museum, publicity is a good thing.

Many similar sites have capitalized on such attention for monetary gain and recognition. The board will certainly want to consider how they are going to handle requests from individuals and groups wanting to complete paranormal investigations of the location–if you choose to allow them at all–as well as other recognition and media attention that arises from such an event.

Some places charge special fees for unique “haunted tours,” and others even arrange all-night ghost hunts. The U.S.S. Salem in Boston, MA, The Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA, and Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Louisville, KY are examples of locations that are earning revenue and recognition secondary to their haunted status, and are places where one can participate in a paranormal investigation, above and beyond taking a simple tour.

In general, I would say that most ghost hunters are a respectful bunch, and the good ones appreciate the historical significance of such locations, as well as the potential for any paranormal activity.

The Amos J. Blake House Museum is a wonderful example of a New England historical society museum with an interesting and varied collection of artifacts, and–in my mind–this fact FAR outstrips the possibility of any paranormal activity occurring there.

I have participated many paranormal investigations–and have experienced some very strange things–however, on a scale of 1 to 10 related to possible paranormal activity, I would rate the museum a 2 or 3. Considering its wonderful collection and the history contained within its walls, I would rate it a 10.

Of course TAPS, with their top-of-the-line equipment and considerable resources may certainly be more successful then an amateur ghost hunter such as myself when it comes to finding evidence of possible paranormal activity.

It is obvious to me that the board of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society needs to seriously consider if this is a direction they would like to move in, and how the museum got to this point in the first place–a national television show filming in the location, apparently without it’s knowledge and consent.

At this time, it appears that consent has been given, albeit in a method in which the board was not aware, and that the investigation will air on national television. The board should consider how they can take advantage of this. My guess is that the situation be viewed as a positive one, an opportunity to increase attention for the museum, possibly resulting in revenue that could be used to help maintain this historic location. It may also have the added benefit of drawing some tourism to the town of Fitzwilliam, and the Monadnock area in general.

Of course, the board could certainly decide to let the spirits rest as well.

Kevin L. Powers asked:


After a six-year hiatus director Mike Mendez returns behind camera for the horror romp THE GRAVEDANCERS. Having broke every religious taboo with his previous film THE CONVENT, Mendez returns in full form with this entertaining and imaginative film about a group of friend who desecrate three graves in a cemetery and inadvertently wake the dead.

Now, going into this film you can’t concern yourself with the absurdity of the whole premise you just have to go with it. Three school friends get back together after one of them dies. Having not seen each other they all gather at a bar and get drunk while reminiscing over the good old days before heading to the cemetery for one last goodbye. Letting loose they decide to have a little fun by dancing on the graves and desecrating the ground which awakens angry spirits which latch onto each of them.

Upon learning from a group of paranormal investigators that they have until the next full moon to rid themselves of the spirits before the spirits are strong enough to kill them, the three search for a way to exorcise the spirits. What follows is a darkly comic misadventure of the three friends as they are teased by their spirits before the big finale in the paranormal investigators’ home.

The cast is at top form with Dominic Purcell (from the short lived television series JOHN DOE) heading the group that includes Clare Kramer (from television’s BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), Josie Maran, Marcus Thomas, Tcheky Karyo, and Megahn Perry.

The film borders on self parody but like Mendez’ previous film THE CONVENT he knows how to balance the laughs with the screams for an enjoyable ride.

Bobby Elgee asked:


This article is an open query to all ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, psychics, mediums, parapsychologists, and theologians regarding the possible moral obligations concerning assisting certain types of ghosts–as defined as the consciousness of deceased persons possibly trapped in the material realm–to move on to ‘the other side.’

I am an amateur paranormal investigator with limited experience and many questions cross my mind, not only about the research and gathering ‘evidence’ of the paranormal, but also questions related to the moral, ethical, and spiritual aspects of this endeavor.

My question is this:

Do we have an obligation to assist ghosts in their transition to ‘the other side’?

The question is based on a series of assumptions as follows.

1. Ghosts are the consciousness of deceased humans and certain ghosts are ‘stuck’ in the material realm.

2. Some ghosts may be unaware that they are ghosts and/or they are unable to muster the actions/steps necessary to ‘move on.’

3. There is something beyond the material realm. A place or state exists that is a natural and probably desirable next step, and getting there is  necessary to complete the spiritual evolution of these free-floating ‘minds’ called ghosts.

4.  Thus we, as the living, being knowledgeable of the condition of their existence–and theoretically having the tools to assist them in their spiritual evolution–should render this assistance.

The above assumptions possibly place us–as paranormal investigators and others concerned with the spiritual evolution of our species–in a unique position to be able to provide this assistance. If the assumptions above are true and/or you believe in ghosts, to not act based on these assumptions be could something akin to leaving Kitty Genovese bleeding on the street.

If you believe that people should be altruistic–that is being obligated and willing to help our fellow humans (and ghosts)–we should seriously consider this issue.

There is research that shows that humans can be altruistic. They certainly may demonstrate this trait. We operate in groups for the greater good and are social creatures. However, there is also social psychological research that demonstrates that we are very selfish, e.g. we may only clearly operate altruistically when it serves our own needs/ideals or that of our family. We may be unique in the animal kingdom considering our combination of altruistic and selfish traits. The discussion of  these psychological and sociological ideas certainly goes beyond the constrains of this article, but they do bear mentioning.

So, when considering this question, one has to look deep into oneself and society and consider whether your answer to the question is self-serving or genuinely altruistic.

Considering the popular television show Ghost Hunters, rarely do they televise cleansing efforts, involve religious authorities or psychics specific to this issue, and it appears that their activities in regards to their clients mostly involve educating their clients to paranormal phenomena with the tenet that knowledge reduces fear–and that there is really nothing to fear. At least for the humans involved.

This is just on the surface, and TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) certainly provides more services than is discernable from their television show and  has demonstrated the capability to provide referrals to professionals and experts capable of operating under the assumptions I mentioned earlier.

Anyone that has done any background research on Grant, Jason, and Steve–the force behind TAPS– realizes that their paranormal experiences far exceeds what is able to be shown in an hour television show. For all the commercialization and debates to as to whether the ‘evidence’ they present is valid, they do deserve immense credit to bringing the realm of the paranormal–and implications on the spiritual evolution of the human race–to light and educating the general public in regards to these type of phenomena as genuine and legitimate human experiences.

Other television shows have a bent that lends themselves more toward addressing the possible  moral and ethical responsibilities that this article is questioning. Paranormal State, the team of young investigators and paranormal entrepreneurs from Penn State, definitely deserves credit for bringing this issue more to light and embracing a wider spirituality that underlies the entire endeavor.

Both groups, Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State, are clearly human-centric. The living are more important then the dead. Their needs take precedent, being the primary needs in any case. This is a premise I have to believe, as my belief in ghosts and the afterlife are unresolved at best. If a child is scared, or an adult is being tormented by paranormal experiences, the impact on their quality of life is obvious. Why the supposed ‘ghosts’ are exhibiting this ‘behavior’ is always secondary to the needs of the living..

Are we ****** against ghosts? Do we neglect their needs in support of the living? Absolutely, but this is the way it is. There is a conscious and unconscious assigning of priorities in any paranormal investigation, and whether we are ‘racists’ considering ghosts is fodder for another article, the implications of which are not discussed here.

I take this type of bias as possible indication of genuine altruism exhibited by the human race. It is one of the ways that demonstrates that we, as living humans, are part of the same family. Ghosts, by definition, are not, though perhaps they once were. Thus ghosts become the second-class citizens of any paranormal investigation. Though ghosts are the reason we’re investigating in the first place, in reality they are not. We are investigating for us, and sometimes ghosts are treated like nothing more then strange animals in a zoo where we go to gawk. Again, these issues are very interesting, but beyond the bounds of this article.

So, we come back to the original question:

Do we have an obligation to help ghosts move to the other side?

Consider the following series of questions which represent a potential can of worms related to the question above.

1. What if some ghosts choose to stay?

There are documented cases of people who are alive, astrally traveling or presumably engaging in ESP and appearing as apparitions to people, family members, or even complete strangers. How do you determine the difference between this phenomena and that of a  haunting?

Then we would need to determine the difference between a residual haunting and an intelligent haunting, assuming that residual haunting is not caused by a conscious spirit.

What’s left may be an intelligent haunting. If so, how would we decide if the ghost wants to be here, or that it doesn’t know it is trapped? What if the ghost knows it’s trapped, and believes that the other side is hell? Again, we have a can of worms here which may place us–as paranormal investigators–casting judgements that have already been decided by the concepts of God across a variety of religions.

2. How do we determine the reasons why an intelligent ghost is staying?  How do we decide those reasons presumably using the tools we have now?

3. Once we’ve determined the answers to #1 and #2, what do we do next? How do we decide which ghosts to help, and those that don’t need or want our help? What tactics do we employ to accomplish this?

So, we are left with a series of questions that are very important, addressing the basic premise of what it is to be human–and to be a ghost–and our obligations and responsibilities as to what that means. Ranging from theology, spirituality, psychology, to the tactics of ghost hunting, this “hobby” certainly generates questions–and possibly answers–that may affect all of the human race.

I have no answers, only questions. However, in my quest to become a more competent paranormal investigator, I believe the techniques and technology are the relatively easy questions to address. The questions behind why we are employing such tactics–the difficult part in my opinion–and our eventual goals become very important for all ghost hunters to consider.

I firmly believe that we cannot flail blindly in the dark when dealing with such questions. I think, whether we believe in ghosts or not, we do have an obligation to help them if they need it. Not to do so makes you less human in my opinion. And, I feel that many groups neglect these questions or when they are addressed, it is done so in an cursory and self-serving way. I certainly do not exempt myself from this, and perhaps writing this makes me a hypocrite.

In my opinion, there are many obstacles in the way of developing any type of consensus in these matters. One of the main obstacles is inconsistent use of language and even a basic ignorance, and perhaps disagreement, in regards to various terminology.

For example, many groups state that their goal is to find proof of the paranormal. This is a misnomer. The fact is that paranormal phenomena does exist. I define paranormal as something that is currently unexplainable by science. There is plenty of phenomena that is unexplainable by science, as every scientist will tell you.

One needs to clearly define the words they are using if they pretend they are doing something remotely resembling scientific research. If everyone uses the same word in a different way, no one has any idea what anyone is talking about. In scientific research, one doesn’t generally have to worry about this. In the field of paranormal investigation, I feel this problem is pervasive.

Some groups clearly state that their goal is to prove the existence of the afterlife or life after death. These groups come more closely to presenting themselves in a way that elucidates their goals. But what exactly are their goals?

Lets be frank, no one is probably ever going to prove the existence of the afterlife in the foreseeable future. A lofty goal, sure, but one in all likelihood is probably  unobtainable. Setting realistic goals is important in any endeavor, and ghost hunting is no different. Perhaps setting such an all encompassing goal undermines the method, and the ability to work toward obtaining this goal.

Running around, taking strange photographs, capturing audio of unexplained voices, and documenting cold spots and spikes in EMF activity may not be advancing the body of knowledge toward proving the afterlife in any meaningful way. However, at this point, these are some the most popular tools we have.

If you do want to prove the existence of the afterlife, and you capture some evidence of what you feel is a ghost, how come most people just walk away from it? They put the picture on their Web site and show it off, with little regard to the ghost itself. Even worse then that, they may return to the location–even bringing in more investigators–in an attempt to capture further ‘evidence.’ And yet, what is done as far as attempts to determine why the ‘ghost’ is there and what can be done to help it’s spiritual evolution? Again, this unfortunate spirit is reduced to an exhibit, a zoo animal, and something to be harassed.

There has to be more then that, and as a ghost hunter or paranormal investigator, especially if you believe in ghosts, you should do something about it, and hopefully something that will help on a spiritual level. Otherwise, in my opinion, you are nothing better then a tourist and an amateur, and are solely thinking of your own needs and desires. In other words, you are being self-serving.

Many groups are very committed to debunking. In my mind, these groups have less of an obligation to assist these disembodied spirits. For myself, I am not convinced of the existence of ghosts. The paranormal phenomena I have captured evidence of is simply that in my mind. It’s paranormal–unexplained by science. Subsequently calling such phenomena a ghost is a leap of faith I can’t make with any degree of certainty at this time. Thus, I’m fairly comfortable not attaching any spiritual implications or obligations to any such phenomena.

Until I am actually convinced that there are such things as ghosts, I don’t necessarily feel any obligation to take further steps beyond just trying to figure out what “it” is. However, I do articulate this, and don’t run around identifying such phenomena as ghosts, then do nothing about it. Also, I do work with people who study these aspects of paranormal investigations, and feel that they have the skills to address these aspects if necessary.

Of course, I may be wrong and self-serving and–in an effort to justify my actions and reconcile them with my thoughts and opinions on the subject–may be neglecting a very important piece of the puzzle. In fact, I have a nagging feeling in the back of my head this may be the very case.

Given the original premise of this article, ghost hunters become elevated to a unique group– a group who has to have an understanding of human psychology, culture, and spirituality, and be able to offer advice and take action concerning a spirits spiritual well-being.

The field of paranormal investigation will evolved only  if people consider the basic questions, motivations, and drives beyond just capturing evidence. Look at the original question underneath it all…why do we do this?

To take a basic tenet of ethics, one must first do no harm. Regardless of whether ghosts exist–and by default this implies the existence of an afterlife–I sincerely don’t believe that most paranormal investigators are causing any harm. But if one does consider the spiritual implications regarding helping a trapped spirit, we are acting on a body of imperfect knowledge, and thus by doing so, perhaps could cause harm if we aren’t very careful and thoughtful in our methods.

So, are there any answers in this article? Probably not, but there are many questions and the half-baked musings of an amateur ghost hunter who may just be in over his head.

Brandon Songer asked:

I wanted to talk about the things that could or should be in the tool box of psychics, paranormal investigators, seekers of spiritual awakening, healers and those looking to experience the most of what life has to offer. One must have the right tool for the job or it makes life very difficult.

What tools are available to the spiritual or paranormal seeker? Having the right tools in your toolbox could mean the difference between success and failure. Are you well prepared enough for your journey?

I wanted to talk about the things that could or should be in the tool box of psychics, paranormal investigators, seekers of spiritual awakening, healers and those looking to experience the most of what life has to offer. One must have the right tool for the job or it makes life very difficult.

1. Awareness. Without awareness you aren’t going to accomplish much. Man walks around in a sleep throughout his day, he thinks he is aware but in reality he is more like a complex organic robot than a free thinking being. The more you can be aware of, both internally and externally, more choice you have to guide the direction of your life.

2. A developed 6th sense. When communicating with entities, doing a healing, getting premonitions, scanning or any other energy related activity, it is your 6th sense that is going to be your primary means of receiving data. Like your muscles, if your 6th sense is out of shape from lack of use or lack of development, the amount and clarity of information you receive will be greatly lessened.

3. Non Thought. A good grasp on non thought is essential to doing any effective spiritual work. If you are unable to control the babble in your head you will be unable to hold your concentration long enough to manifest, communicate with entities, astral travel or anything else.

4. Meditation. Meditation is the cornerstone of all spiritual and paranormal work. It is the foundation that all other techniques and knowledge rest on. The correct type of meditation is essential to developing non thought and storing up prana to use for your 6th sense abilities.

5. Scanning. Scanning is the ability to know things about people or your environment. Good scanning requires non thought and is a foundational 6th sense ability. Scanning is a requirement for anyone interested in ghost hunting.

6. Assimilation. With assimilation you actually become the object or being you are trying to get information about. Scanning is a quick overview, assimilation is a more focused and concentrated application for a single object or being.

7. Feels like. By taking scanning to the next level, you learn the language of “feels like”. Everything in the universe has a unique frequency and hence a “feels like”. This language can be learned and used in all areas of life.

8. Energy Movements. The more you are able to feel and work with your own energy, the more you will be able to feel other energy and work with it. Like your muscles, if your energy bodies are not exercised, they wither and deteriorate. “What you don’t use, you lose.”

9. High Guard. High Guard is the art of energy defense. Anyone going ghost hunting should know that they can be attacked on an energy level by entities. Knowing how to defend yourself is key. High Guard also has many applications for defense and well being when dealing with people and every day life as well.

10. Telepathy. To communicate without words is a very handy skill not only in ghost hunting (where its essential) but also when learning to communicate as energy. Energy beings do not have vocal chords to talk with, they use telepathy and “feels like” to communicate.

11. The In-Between. The In between is the place where matter and energy converge to become one another. Having the ability to move into this space of consciousness is what has allowed the masters of old to accomplish the miracles you have always read stories about.

12. Astral Projection/Remote Viewing. How wonderful it is to be able to explore the universe without having to leave the privacy of your own house. Projection is a great way to gather information or take a quick vacation.

13 Surrender. Surrender is an essential tool for spiritual development. The secrets of the Universe cannot be taken or stolen, they must be given. Learning to operate in the state of surrender allow the Universe to unfold for you in ways you cannot possibly imagine. Very potent stuff.

14 The Tones of God. The tones are the frequencies of God that can be heard when silence is deafening. These tones can be heard anywhere by anyone and within them lies a secret that masters have kept secret for thousands of years. The secret of bending time and space.

15 Psychometry. Psychometry is the ability to scan an object and gather information about it or its owner.

16 Photometry. Photometry is similar to scanning except photographs are used instead of objects.

17 Dimension Walking. Dimension walking is the ability to shift your consciousness to the left and perceive the dimensional components of life that we are normally unaware of. One can see portals, dimensional energies and structures with this technique. This techniques is related to the In-Between.

18. Time Stepping. Time Stepping is the technique of setting up a feedback loop with your past and future selves in order to give yourself premonitions or change aspects of your past.

19 Water of Life. The Water of Life is a technique to absorb massive amounts of prana and raise your tonal significantly in a short amount of time. This 15 minute technique will greatly assist you in storing up prana to be used for other psychic techniques.

20. Ties that Bind. Objects can be programmed to have a specific intent and therefore a specific effect on a person or an environment.

Bobby Elgee asked:


by Bobby Elgee, Sights Unseen Paranormal



Ghost hunting is not a science. Out of all the individuals and/or groups of ghost hunters in existence, very, very few actually have any experience with the scientific method or have any experience actually conducting experimental research.

Still, many groups will tell you that they have photos and audio of what are spirits; evidence of ghosts. As far as I am aware, there is no scientific evidence of the existence of ghosts or an afterlife. That is a question of faith at this point in time. If somebody knows something I don’t, please let me know!

As the member of a group whose members actually have some background conducting scientific research, I realize that ghost hunting doesn’t lend itself to a well-controlled scientific experiment. The methodologies are weak, the equipment used was never originally designed to detect ghosts, and it is nearly impossible to replicate the results.

Even more perturbing is the fact that certain groups are damaging the credibility of legitimate and accomplished paranormal researchers and parapsychologists by posting photographs that are easily dismissed as well-known and easily identifiable camera malfunctions and other artifacts of the photographic process.

Capturing a photograph of an orb or strange mist is just that. A photograph of a strange orb or mist. Competent paranormal investigators will attempt to rule out the anomaly….is it a reflection? Is it a bug? Is it dust? Is it condensation on the lens of the camera? Is it a problem with the developing and/or printing process? The logical possibilities are nearly endless, and yet, certain people will make a claim that “it’s a spirit orb,” or that the mist is representative of “the paranormal energy of the ghost that haunts the” location.

We try and look at our “evidence” with a critical eye, and include the use of accomplished photo consultants in an attempt to rule out all rational explanations. What we can’t explain means simply that, we can’t explain it. If we’ve done a good job ruling out everything, we may just be left with something paranormal.

Remember that the word ‘paranormal’ simply means ‘not scientifically explainable.’

That’s it. To take the next step and call a possibly paranormal photograph a picture of a ghost is a leap of faith that I, personally, can’t swallow. A person can certainly make that statement, but at that point it becomes an opinion, a statement based on belief and faith. I mean, it just as well could be a picture of a 1957 Chevy or Fred Flintstone. At that point, I can choose what I believe. There’s simply no evidence backing it up.

Our group members have varying beliefs. There is one thing we all agree with however….we’re never going to call a picture of a camera strap a “vortex through which spirits can enter our material realm” or a photograph of an orb “a spirit orb which shows a ghost trying to manifest itself.”

This is simply too big a stretch of illogical rationalization in our minds.

I’ve been a member of a group where, to be a member, you had to believe in ghosts! We’ve also had members in this group to whom every cold draft, every sound, and every strange photograph was a ghost, regardless of whether the phenomena was debunked or not.

We like to have fun, and our belief’s evolve everyday, but we feel that we have to be careful and measured in our response to what we call ‘evidence.’ 99% of the pictures we post on our Web site don’t contain anything paranormal. Capturing actual paranormal activity in photographs is quite rare. Also, the majority of EVPs can be debunked or certainly explained away by skeptics as something other then the voices of dead people. We post things of interest and for entertainment, but you won’t catch us calling something a ghost. To be quite honest, there are only two or three pieces of “evidence” I have captured over the years that I can say with near certainty are paranormal–unexplainable by conventional science.

As far as myself, I can definitely say I’ve experienced paranormal phenomena, phenomena that is unexplainable by science. As to what caused this phenomena, well, I can’t say. It’s simply unexplainable in my mind.

This is a hobby for us, and we like to have fun with it, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but, at the same point, however, in the spirit of transparency, we feel we have an obligation to call a spade a spade.

Sights Unseen Paranormal

Andy Asbury asked:


Disclosure:

Disclosing whether a property is haunted or not can work for or against the seller. Some buyers are specifically looking for a residence with a ghostly presence, while others would turn tail and run at such a suggestion. Either way, if a seller knows something about a property and fails to disclose it, they are setting themselves up for a possible lawsuit. In some states, a seller must disclose whether a death has occurred on the property within the last three years.

Information that a home may be haunted can affect the value of the house and most certainly should be mentioned, since it’s doubtful the buyer would make that discovery on his own before purchasing. The rule of caveat emptor, or buyer beware, can be used as an argument when the possibility of a home being haunted was not disclosed prior to a sale. Even if the owner has no solid evidence, if he cannot deny the existence of ghosts, it is enough for a court to declare a contract void and have the deposit returned.

Value: Generally a home suspected of being haunted is priced according to fair market value, and then adjusted depending on buyer interest. Such was the case with a Nottinghamshire property purchased in 2007. The family thought they had found their dream home when they bought Clifton Hall, a 52-room country estate dating back to the days of William the Conqueror.

The structure appeared innocent enough, until the family moved in. After enduring months of ghostly voices and bloodcurdling screams, the owners enlisted the aid of paranormal investigators. Even science couldn’t intervene and the hauntings continued. Unable to share their home any longer with these creepy tenants, Clifton Hall was put up for sale about one year later for £2.75m, and almost £1m less than they originally paid. The property was finally sold, but never returned to its status as a residence, and is currently being utilized as a conference centre.

Haunted houses may take longer to sell:

Actor Nicholas Cage, knowingly purchased the old Lalaurie Mansion in New Orleans’ French Quarter in December 2006 for $3.45 million. Built in 1832, this home was the scene of horrible violence and is known for its paranormal activity. Although the Cage family spent time in the house, they never stayed overnight. In the fall of 2008, the actor put it back up for sale for $3.55 million, and it remains unsold as of the writing of this article.

In some cases when there is a history of well publicized violence, homes don’t even get listed. Such was the case In St. Catharines, Ontario, where the home of serial ****** and killer Paul Bernardo, was bulldozed and sold as an empty lot. On the other hand, home of Sharon Tate, the scene of the Manson Family murders, was sold at full value. The new owner tore it down and rebuilt a new mansion on the prime real estate site.

Although most people would not actively search out a haunted house, there are those who consider a such a residence a bonus.

An ad on the site for San Diego Paranormal Research states:

“The San DiegoParanormal Research Project will teamed up with your Professional Licensed Real Estate Agents to assist with the buying and selling of allegedly Haunted Houses and property throughout the United States. We will also handle requests for regular houses.”

Apparently there is a market for haunted houses, and they will assist you in locating one that is truly authentic. Various hotels and inn’s often gain publicity and added business from advertising the fact that their establishments are haunted.

The Cashtown Inn, built in 1797 was the scene of many deaths during the Civil War. The current owners make no effort to hide this fact and advertise such specials as “Ghosts of Gettysburg Weekend Investigation Package with MARK NESBITT and his Investigative Team,” where guests can actually attend a ghostly investigation. During “Catch the Spirits Weekend,” guests receive special tours of the Inn, including the basement, and learn about the ghostly happenings in the area.

Dr. Theresa M. Kelly asked:

Warning: Please do not read this article if you have recently lost a loved one. The content below is based on paranormal experience, evidence and research and is not the belief of all paranormal investigators. The content below can be disturbing.

Para Ethics

“Ghosts” or Spirits are made up of unstable atomic nuclei which loses energy, can decay, when exposed to radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves. Allowing excessive electrical equipment near active sites during paranormal investigations can affect spirits in a harmful way.

It is unethical to allow excessive electrical equipment near an active paranormal site including electrical equipment for paranormal research and household electronics.

It is unethical to transport spirits from an active site unless they pose a threat.

It is ethical to locate a professional to help a spirit crossover.

Conscious and Alive

A spirit is a being that did not crossover shortly after the death of the physical mind and body. Reasons why the being did not crossover vary including confusion, duty, revenge or fear. Whether they may have been “good” or “evil” human beings during their physical lifetime is irrelevant because they were still Human beings.

While paranormal based laws and ethics can not be upheld with our current limited understanding and interaction with the spirits of the deceased, educating those who may or may not ever experience a paranormal event on the laws and ethics that should be upheld, when dealing with the living spirits of deceased physical beings, can prevent unnecessary suffering.

Why Para Ethics and Laws are Crucial

Those who do not crossover due to the fear of the unknown wander this world lost, depressed, sometimes angry, filled with regret or fearful of their chosen unknown. Some spirits may have turned down a passing to the other side due to a need or feeling of obligated duty to family or friends. Some spirits may deny their death or never realize their death at all leaving them confused or uncooperative. There are many reasons why a spirit does not crossover, but there are just as many reasons why they should have.

What would you expect in a world of living spirits with no law or order, with mixed personalities, those lacking in morals and those left vulnerable because of their morals. Spirits roam lost, uncertain of purpose or direction, unacknowledged by loved ones, scared, bitter and with no one to protect them.

Spirits are not only vulnerable to other entities, but to their atmosphere or rather the invisible world around them. Spirits are energy based, and living, and like all living beings they are seemingly mortal because the requirement for eternal life resides on the other side leaving spirits here low energy, weak, vulnerable and unstable.

As their deterioration advances the spirit become less and less capable of organizing thought, emotion, sensation and so forth until the deterioration is so highly developed that thought is rare, emotions are erratic and sensation is limited to the feelings associated with a slow, frightening bereavement. Eventually the soul is at rest when no energy remains to give the spirit its individuality and it once again becomes a part of the grand architecture of nature.

How You Effect Spirits

The antagonist that wears down a spirit most is radiation and everything emits radiation, even you. The exposure of radiation, magnitude and time exposed, determines the level of deterioration or decay of the spirit. Some forms of radiation that can affect a spirit include: (1) The human body has a small amount of naturally radioactive potassium. (2) Homes made out of stone, brick and adobe due to a small amount of natural radioisotopes. (3) Smoking results in a great deal of radiation because the tobacco leaf collects long-lived isotopes of air-born radon, like lead-210 and plutonium. (4) Natural and artificial light results in a great deal of radiation due to protons and electromagnetic waves etc. (5) Heat. (6) Any and all electronics such as televisions, computers, microwaves, radios and cell phones.

Spirits at risk of advanced decay tend to stay in cool (to avoid heat radiation), dark (to avoid light radiation) and humid (to avoid static electricity and other potential electrical antagonists) spaces. This results in basements and under-maintenance or abandoned buildings to be the ideal place for a decaying spirit retreat. Spirits of many types can cause “cold spots,” but cold spots are not a determinate of paranormal activity as cold spots can be caused by natural temperature variances such humidity.

Types of Spirits

General Presence – When a spirit may reside in a space, but does not have the effect of a haunting. General presence spirits tend to cause hair to stand up, shivering or slight chills and rare auditory events. Spirits of this type can occasionally move objects, but only inches. This type of spirit can be annoying at times, but is rarely every a threat of any kind. This can be a spirit with little to no rate of decay to a spirit with advanced decay. It is considered by Para Ethics to be unethical to exorcise this type of spirit as the spirit is non-threatening and removing the spirit from its current location can cause the further decay of the spirit.

Apparitions – A spirit that has been lost for a great deal of time that has deteriorated and only knows the difference between light and dark, can feel pain and express emotion. This is a type of spirit that even a medium can not speak with due to the spirits inability to function to such a degree. It is highly unethical to exorcise this type of spirit as relocation can result in the destruction of the spirit as they are vulnerable to almost all forms of radiation including sunlight and heat. This type of spirit is most commonly found in dark, cool and humid spaces.

Anniversary or Resident Spirits – Spirits who only appear on certain dates of the year or have been resident of a specific space for more then two generations. These spirits are traditionally non-threatening and therefore it is considered unethical to exorcise them unless they have proven to be a threat by causing a great deal of disturbances.

Haunting Presence – A genuine haunting consists of mild to heightened auditory events, psychokinetic events (where the spirit moves and throws objects, turns on electronics, shorts out electronics, cause fires, pushes or strikes a living person or cause heightened behavior modification/manipulation of those residing or visiting the space etc.). These hauntings can be the cause of a single spirit, several spirits or a poltergeist. It is not considered to be unethical to exorcise these types of spirits. In the case of a poltergeist, a demonic presence may be involved. As a result of this poltergeists should only be exorcised by a professional well versed in the paranormal and demonology.

Poltergeists – Demonic Presences – Poltergeists can be the result of several weakened spirits trapped in a location that contained a demonic presence prior to becoming trapped or after the fact. In this case the spirits individuality, that which separates one spirit of energy from another, may or may not have been decayed by the demonic presence and the accumulation or individual spirits are strengthened through demonic means causing extremely heightened psychokinetic events and full visual manifestations etc. This strengthening does not allow spirits to escape the trap because it results in the emotional, “mental” and atomic instability of the spirit ensuing confusion and erratic and violent behavior. Typically these locations are places that have a traumatic or horrifying history including horrific murders.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of a spirit that did not crossover following the death of its physical body varies due to: (1) The age of the deceased body, as the energy of the spirit weakens over the lifespan of the physical life. (2) The amount of exposure to antagonists throughout the life of the spirit.

The longest estimated lifespan of a spirit is roughly four-hundred years. The average lifespan of a spirit is estimated at two-hundred years. Sites and spaces with paranormal activity predating four-hundred years are typically a result of residue memories of decayed spirits, new spirits drawn to the area because it is and ideal retreat or the site may have an active poltergeist tied to a demonic presence in which case the demonic presence prolongs the essence of the spirits, but not their individuality.

rachel saxon asked:

UK Mediums are doing an important job, and they are even getting recognition in some Counties and working as Psychic Medium  Detectives for the Police.  Uk Mediums are to be found working in a variety of ways, some UK Mediums can be found doing important cleansing work where there is a haunting.  UK Mediums can connect with ghosts and sometimes they work with Paranormal Investigators  to  discover the truth about a haunted place.

One of the top UK Mediums gives an account of an all night vigil in a haunted mansion where she worked alongside Paranormal Investigators to bring insight into the history of the haunted manor.

It was 9pm and the guests had just finished their Psychic Supper and we were gathered in the courtyard.  As I started to explain the procedure I suddenly became aware of galloping horses coming towards me in twos.  I was nearly knocked off balance and had to regain my posture as the tracker metre was scanned over my body by the Paranormal Investigator.  He recorded that the temperature had dropped just around where I was standing.  This would indicate that there was a presence and I checked my pendulum and it was swinging very widely indicating a strong presence.

I explained the procedure to the group that there was just one of the Mediums working tonight and that later we would split up into two groups.  One group would go with the Paranormal Investigator with the equipment and the other group would go with me.  Normally there would be one of the Mediums with each group and the Paranormal Investigators work between the two.  I performed a demonstration with my pendulum so that the rest of the group understood the direction that the pendulum would swing for Yes and for No.

As we carried on through the grounds we encountered a burning fire which everyone could see in a field at midnight.  An old lady manifested herself on a door and we were able to capture this on camera, and a little boy was running up and down the hallway, there was the sound of sewing machines in the main hall.

The most interesting experience was what occurred when we split into our groups for our all night vigils in the bedrooms.  I became aware of a lady levitating above the bed and then she started rocking backwards and forwards.  Members of the group were putting their hands on the bed to see if they could feel anything.  In the next room where the other group held their vigil there was a small crib next to a double bed.  When we joined the other group and exchanged our experiences the other group reported that the cradle had been rocking at the exact same time as I saw the lady rocking above the bed.

Thomas Shea asked:


 

There seems to be an overwhelming amount of “real ghost” footage floating around the internet these days. This is exciting for some ghost lovers and disappointing for others. The videos and pictures are often very convincing and offer what some consider to be real proof of ghosts.

 

Unfortunately, there is another side to this double edged sword. Although it is always fun and exciting to witness these amazing ghost pictures  and videos, the truth is that many are not real ghosts at all. Rather, a very bored or desperate persons attempt at fun or glory. This is frustrating for many who strongly believe in the existence of ghosts and have spent time and money in an effort to capture legitimate evidence. Many have succeeded at this and there are lots of great examples of ghost evidence out there.

 

Evidence of real ghosts definitely exist, but most has been overlooked and taken less seriously due to the huge amount of similar examples available on the world wide web. When someone sees a great piece of ghost footage or picture, they often react by immediately assuming that it is a hoax or a fake. This is not surprising and the person having this reaction cannot be blamed. They have likely been exposed to way too many pieces of “evidence” created by a bored fifteen year old with decent computer skills. Sadly, even real ghost hunters and investigators have resorted to fabricating evidence in an attempt to convince people that ghosts really do exist.

 

This action taken does not in anyway prove that ghosts do not exist, but tends to discredit the actual evidence available. Certain people who know in their heart that ghosts are as real as the sky is blue, desperately want others to know it as well. Paranormal Investigators should think very carefully before doing something like this. The impact on the field that they love is bigger than they think. Fortunately, most ghost hunters and paranormal investigators are genuine, honest and do not in any way support this kind of behavior.

 

There are also many sites on the web dedicated solely to sharing different types of ghost footage. The subject discussed here can even make things difficult for the site creators to do their work. Most ghost sites will put out the best available to them and let visitors judge for themselves. Truthfully, it really is the best and only way to do it. Many ghost sites are capable of sparking an interest in the paranormal by providing this type of footage in an entertaining fashion. Many examples of really great ghost evidence can be found on these sites. There is definitely not a lack of ghost pictures and videos out there to be seen, but ultimately it is up to you to decide what you consider credible evidence. This will remain true until science ultimately proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that real ghosts are in fact, haunting the web.