Why Does An Entity Stick Around?
Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVPS)
Information Before Becoming A Ghost Hunter
Experiencing Paranormal Activity
How To Tell If You Home Is Haunted
How to Collect Evidence at A Location
It is our belief at Carolina Paranormal Research Society that they are. Whether you seek help to document the presence of spirits, get greater understanding of "the other side", or assistance to clear a location of ghostly activity, you can find assistance from us at CPRS. We apply knowledge of the paranormal in connection with instruments and techniques to learn more about supernatural activity. Spirits create changes in the normal environment. We pinpoint these changes to gain new meaning of any phenomenon which is present at a location. We use subjective and objective information. Most spiritual encounters are evaluated by the five physical senses alone. This makes most information about ghosts subjective (dependent upon an observer's limited perception). Objective evidence (dependent upon external, unbiased measurement, equally obtainable by all) is the foundation of scientific knowledge. We don't automatically jump to conclusions based on subjective data, we don't rule out the conventional. Though our sensory perspectives are unique, we use a definite standard by which to document reality, through scientific methods. The scientific method is founded on using objective evidence to establish a set of facts about any given phenomenon. However, humans have been experiencing things that cannot be explained for thousands of years. Most of the world's religions are based on the concept of a spiritual world, or an invisible dimension of existence that transcends our own. Even in the Holy Bible, chilling encounters are described, like this passage from the Book of Job (4:15): "Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up". At last, the centuries of "entity encounters", are still unexplained. This is exactly why science is necessary. If we are to grow in our understanding, we must use tools of our newest technology to separate documented facts from rumor and myth. Despite what some believe, there is indeed scientific evidence that supernatural manifestations are real. We at Carolina Paranormal Research Society are here to help you with any questions or concerns you may have or activity you may be experiencing. Just e-mail us and we will get back to you ASAP! By Angie Windom
Also called spirits, phantoms, wraiths, visions, shades, specters, haunts, and apparitions, we can loosely define a ghost as some paranormal aspect of the physical form and/or mental presence that appears to exist apart from the original physical form. Webster's defines a ghost as "a disembodied human spirit". Likewise, a ghost does not always cause ghostly activity. We here at Carolina Paranormal Research Society believe that lots of spectral manifestations surround us each day. Most are hidden in realms outside of the naked human perception. A sharp mind is necessary to process all possibilities. The pursuit of ghostly activity is often called "paranormal" research. The prefix “para” means "beyond". The term refers to studying any events beyond the realm of normal occurrences. How do we define normal? Normal is any phenomenon that can be satisfactorily explained by known and widely accepted physical laws and standards. If an event cannot be fully explained by known scientific laws or information, it falls into the category of the paranormal.
The "Boo Factor" This is what I call people that go to graveyards, old buildings, railroad tracks, or even a private residence just like paranormal investigators do but are doing it to get scared or play around. Those types of people are in it for the fun of getting "spooked". We here at CPRS do not go about paranormal investigations that way at all. You should respect the paranormal just as you would a living person. Also what I think about are the family members of the ones that have passed before us. Would they like us making light of their loved ones death? Would you want someone to do that to someone you may have lost? A lot of the TV shows that are on today about ghost hunting are just that a show.
In my opinion a lot of the
time they are acting and being dramatic. They run around screaming and act
terrified if they here a little bump. It really does make the people like us and
others that are serious about this type of thing look bad. Don't get me wrong I
think everyone likes a good ghost story or a little scare because it can be fun
and exciting. That's innocent enough, sitting at home or wherever telling ghost
stories is fine. Going to locations where you have heard there is activity and
being disrespectful is another. Oh, and by the way there is a show or two that I
myself happen to watch sometimes. Not all are like that. Every paranormal group
or investigator goes about things in different ways.
Everyone is different and
unique in their own way. One of my favorite words when it comes to the subject
of the paranormal is RESPECT. Respect for the spiritual world and for your
fellow group members. People that really want to learn and experience the
unknown take things very seriously. Carolina Paranormal Research Society has
very much respect. Again, don't get me wrong we like to have fun too and we do.
We diffidently would love to have new members to join us!
If you are interested please let us know. By the way, if you haven't checked out the first article I did, "Are Ghosts Real", you might want to check it out. Since we are just getting started I decided that I would go ahead and do these two so you can see more of what we are about. We want you to get to know us and we want to get to know you as well. Wednesday, November 1st, I will have a new article for you and try to have a new one every Wednesday. If there is anything you would like me to talk about or you have any questions e-mail me at: betrue2you2@yahoo.com
Looking forward to it,
Angie
Why Does An Entity Stick Around?
Entities are human beings in another form. They are mind and energy that still retain individual personality. There are many reasons why a spirit may stick around. If a person dies young, especially violently, it is likely that a ghost will remain. This means that they are here because of "unfinished business". It is a young person's natural tendency to live a full and natural life. When that life is cut short, maybe they are resisting moving on. Based on research done by paranormal experts some parents encounter their child's spirit at some point. Oftentimes, a young person's spirit will stay for a period of a few years, and then eventually move on.
Of course, unfinished business is most common among older people. Usually, when an older person chooses to stay after death, it’s because of a strong connection to the physical world. Some people simply don’t want to leave their home behind. It's a place where they grew to feel comfortable. Maybe owning the property was a lifetime achievement and just think of the memories they have there. That may have been where they watched their children grow up.
Also, there are some people who stick around because they don't want to leave someone behind. Maybe they just want to visit their loved ones to see how they are doing. It seems they like to watch the person go about their daily life and even do things to be noticed by their loved ones. Sometimes it can be something that right when it happens you just know it had to be them.
Those with a guilty conscience may choose to stay as well. They fear the consequences of possibly moving on to a place of judgment. As it's been said, for every action, there's an opposite but equal reaction. Likewise you reap what you sow. If you weren't a good person in life you maybe more fearful of having to take responsibility for your behavior.
It seems that some spirits stay around because they truly do not realize that they are dead. If you seen the movie "The Sixth Sense," then you saw that was the case.
I read that after the World Trade Center fell, people talked about paranormal experiences taking place around the location. People who lived near the site would sometimes see apparitions of people in business suits and wandering around as if in a complete daze. Do these people know they are dead? Or are they still in shock?
Determining why a ghost stays around is one of the most challenging questions facing us as paranormal investigators. In our world of the living, it’s hard for us to understand the motivation of people. That's why it's even more complicated to try to figure out why a spirit is still around. There are some theories we at Carolina Paranormal Research Society have about questions like this one. But, there is still phenomenon that is hard to explain. CPRS is determined to learn more and dedicated to help others understand as well.
*Angie*
Note: Have any responses to the any of the three articles so far? Go to the forum and start a topic about it! We welcome your opinions!
The debate is still ongoing about Orbs. Orbs are balls of light that are caught on camera film as well as digital. On digital sometimes the person may see the Orb when taking the picture through the view finder. Digital cameras can see into the infrared light spectrum that the human eye alone can’t see. To prove this take your TV remote and look at it through your digital cameras view finder. Push a button on the remote and look for the light at the top of the remote to come on. You will be able to see it. Now try it without the camera and you can’t see the light. This proves that the camera can see and pick up things that you can’t.
Not all balls of light are Orbs. They can be dust, moisture, insects, pollen, etc. So how do we tell what may be paranormal? It takes some training to be able to know the difference. Sometimes even I have a hard time with a picture and have to rule it out if I’m not certain. I can only tell you what to look for and you will have to practice with you camera in different situations and environmental extremes.
Take picture in the daylight as well as night. Take them when it’s dry and after a rain. Try and take pictures when insects are out to see how the look on camera. The key is practice. Just take pictures. It doesn’t cost you anything to take digital. When I go to an investigation I usually take no less than 150 pictures.
I will give you some examples of dust and true orbs. All of the orb pictures in the pictures page of the site are believe to be explainable or real. We may not be able to say that a picture is 100% real but we can be pretty close. Just as some we can surely rule out.
The above picture is exactly what we want to look for in a true Orb picture. This was taken in daylight with a digital camera. As you can see it is bright and seems to give off its on light. It appears to be (in motion) moving when the picture was taken. These pictures are rare but very hard to rule out.
Now i will tell you how to know how to spot dust, etc. Dust will show up in the pictures as dim balls of light that most of the time you can see through. There usually is several in one picture but could be just one. It can be very dim or may be somewhat bright depending on how close it was to the Flash. Insects are not truly round and they may look like a fairy in some pictures. In daylight no need to use a flash. Also watch for reflective materials or street lights in the background of your pictures. Don’t take pictures in the sun. The sun should be at your back.
These are just some tips when you are trying to capture Orb pictures. Like I said before practice is the key. If you are unsure about a picture have some look at it before saying it is paranormal. If you don’t know then rule it out. Like I said before true Orb pictures are rare and we don’t want to put fakes on our sites for the skeptics to tear us apart. If we do then we lose our reputation and then no one we believe any of our evidence.
David CPRS Founder
Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVPS)
This is a guide for the
people who are newbies who wish to know more about EVP'S. It’s not hard to find
out more about this field. Doing a little research, one can learn a lot just by
reading off the internet. But we here want you to get the most accurate and up
to date information possible on all topics related to the paranormal. This is
for newbies so it will be basic. EVP has been around for decades but has
increased in popularity in recent years. They are voices that come from an
unknown source and are possibly the voices of the deceased communicating with
us. The recording parties hear nothing unusual while they record, yet the voices
are mysteriously on the tape at playback --most often faint and muffled sounding
(from being mixed in with mic static or other static), yet sometimes amazingly
as clear as a bell. There are three levels of EVPs, Class A being a clear voice
that can be heard as well as can be understood what is being said, (rare). Class
B a voice can be heard but people will not understand or agree what’s being
said. Class C is a very faint voice even a whisper that cannot be understood.
I remember the first time I was skeptical but wanted to go out and try it just
to see what would happen. My sister and I went out to a local cemetery in broad
daylight. We went to the tombstone of a young guy that we knew that had died of
a car accident. We were using a audio cassette with a external mic in which I
was holding. My sister called him by name and asks if he was there. Of course we
heard nothing at the time. But when we got home and played it back we had a
answer to our question. A male voice said "HERE" and I was the only male around
at the time. It was a class A and to say the least we were shocked. Since then
we have had others sometimes answering our questions and sometimes just speaking
when none of us are talking. We always both have audio to compare later.
Now I know there are skeptics out there because I was one of them. But now I see
things a little different. Am I satisfied 100% no that’s why I still do
investigations. But I have come along way from being a total skeptic and have
kept an open mind. I think skeptics are not all bad. They keep us honest despite
the bad apples out there.
Well now some of you may know a little more about what an evp is, though basic,
I recommend, if interested, to do more advanced research on your own. If you
have some activity and all you have is orbs, then I would try to get and EVP to
go along with the orb. I feel that good EVP's are harder to dismiss than orb
pictures. Both together only makes your case stronger.
Here is my recommendation when trying to capture EVP's. First try to eliminate
anything that may interfere such as a radio, TV, too many people in the room,
etc. Have no more than two people in the room and both speak into the mic so
both voices are recorded. Don’t whisper and talk normal. If you are in a bad
mood don’t try to get an EVP you are wasting your time. Negative energy will
affect everyone and including spirits. I have found that you can capture them
day or night. Keep a recorder handy when you have something happen in your home
and try the EVP then. If you are taking pictures, it is my experience that most
of my EVP's happen right after I take a picture. Are they somehow using the
energy from the camera or flash? Who knows?
Information Before Becoming
A Ghost Hunter
There is some
information that one should know before one enters this kind of research, work,
hobby or whatever you wish to call it. First and most importantly you should be
somewhat serious about learning more about the paranormal and not just have a
casual curiosity about it. If you are just a little curious then I would suggest
you watch it on TV or read about it in books. Even being serious about it does
make you suitable for this kind of work. I am not trying to discourage anyone
but I can tell you that this kind of thing is not for everyone. Also there is no
way to tell who is until they have learned more and experienced things that they
can’t explain.
My team consist of around 10 members and I can say that all of them are suitable
for this line of work and have done very well. They have been consistent and
dedicated to the group and on investigations and get excited when we capture
something we can’t explain. Some people will try it and decide it’s not for them
and that’s what they should do if they feel that way. Other people will tell you
up front that they are not into the paranormal for whatever reason. Some people
are just curious but wouldn’t dream of going into a haunted house. Most of these
people like a good scare and that’s about it. There is no room for them when you
are trying to use science and instruments to prove that ghost are real.
My suggestion for anyone that is really interested in the paranormal is to first
have an open mind and do some research first. When I say open minds I mean don’t
already make your mind up either way that ghost are real or not just don’t
assume. We all are and have been a skeptic at some point. Again do research
especially online now. All of the good teams have websites that have information
and even offer help if needed. Find a group in your area and learn more about
them and what they do.
Most teams are open to new members but are looking for a certain type of person
and for good reason. Sometimes this field attracts the weirdo’s and no one wants
that on their teams. But find a good team and find out more about them to see if
what they do is in line with what you are comfortable with. A small number of
teams do things that I would not feel comfortable with and I wouldn’t associate
with them personally.
One more note to touch on is that what your family, friends, associates, will
think of you if and when you decide to become a ghost chaser. From my own
experience to my surprise, most everyone has given me positive feedback. Notice
I said most but not all. Some people will think that you are crazy, weird, etc.
I am making you aware of this ahead of time before you decide to proceed in this
field. Again I have gotten some good feedback and with the paranormal being in
the news and on TV these days I think has helped bring us out of the dark so to
speak. The paranormal field has came a long way in recent years and the public
is more educated to it, which helps us out a lot.
Well I hope this has given some insight to anyone that has been thinking about
joining a team or is serious about learning more about the paranormal. I welcome
you to this field as it is in need of some dedicated people that are willing to
work hard toward finding and proving what is unknown and making it known.
David
CPRS Founder
Experiencing Paranormal Activity
I have been approached several times with people having or experiencing paranormal activity and they would like information or help but they are afraid that if a "team" goes into their house then it will make everything worse. Let me say that’s possible and I always make people aware of that first when talking with them. But too this is rare and I have never run across it myself. Usually it is when someone is having very negative activity occurring. I feel it is better to take this change and become educated about the paranormal and learn more about what’s going on in their home. Most of the time once they learn more or have some of their questions answered the fear seems to fade away of at least be greatly reduced. No can say they can get rid of ghost. But we can help you understand it more.
David
CPRS Founder
How To Tell If You Home Is Haunted
This article is for those of you that think that your house may be haunted.
There are certain things to look for when you think that is may be true in your
home. You may here footsteps, strange noises, muffled voices, strange smells,
cold spots, the feeling of being watched. You may also hear your name being
called or find personal items disappear then reappearing. Seeing Orbs or shadows
out of the corner of your eyes is a good indicator.
A home, apartment or building does not require a death to take place for it to
be haunted. Many new homes are haunted because the ghost or ghosts like the home
and have decided to dwell within. Yes, the spirits think and respond just like
we do. Sometimes the land is where the spirit is attached and not the house.
Most often the spirits move about without restrictions as to where they died or
where they lived. Any place new or old can have activity. Most people don’t want
to hear that they may have something they can’t explain in their home. They may
be fearful or feel threatened by the unknown or paranormal. Some always think
that it is demons. Ghosts are not demons. Demons were never human. We are
talking about human spirits and there is a big difference.
Ghosts are people without bodies, complete with their attitudes, personalities
and emotions. They will be as they were in there physical bodies. If they were
nice people here then guess what? They will be as a spirit as well. If they were
mean here then yes they may be as a spirit. These are the ones I feel are
mistaken and labeled as demons sometimes. I will talk more later about real
demons. Why are they here? Well I have been asked this question before and I
think it is because of some unfinished business or they stay around to protect
of look after loved ones. They may be attached to a location and don’t want to
leave it. I feel most of these spirits eventually move on to where ever they are
supposed to be.
Well what do I do about a ghost in my home? This is a good question that even
the experts can’t really answer. There is no sure way to get rid of the spirits.
Real life ghost busters do not exist and no one can promise you they will get
rid of the problem. You can have a place blessed but it’s not a cure all. I
always make people aware of this up front before I conduct an investigation of
someone’s home. But what I can do is educate people about the paranormal and
help them understand what is going on and hopefully this eases some of the fears
they may have about paranormal activity.
If you feel you have activity then look for the clues I have talked about. Also
take pictures and do some basic audio in the house to see if something can be
captured. If you have children the look for clues that may involve them. Often
in a haunting the activity will happen around the children. Why? They are more
tuned to it and the spirits can sense that. Do some research of the home and
that too could give clues as to what history is in the home. If you are having
serious activity or problems then seek the advice of a paranormal investigator.
David
CPRS Founder
How to Collect Evidence at A
Location
There are several things to keep in mind while trying to obtain evidence at any
location. First it will help if you know where the hot spots are. This will save
you time at the investigation if you know where to look. Most places have a
certain area the activity is occurring at. Check with the client or do a
pre-investigation to determine the hot spots. In an investigation time is not on
our side. We are most of the time on a time limit and that time doesn’t need to
waste by searching for these areas. You should already have some idea. Try and
get a feel for the place and not just go by the instruments. You sometimes can
get a different feel in a certain area than in others. Ok I will give you a
couple of secrets that I should save for a book. Look for rooms that feel thick,
take pictures in hallways, stairs, around children. You and your team members
are new to the area and the spirits will be curious so take pictures around your
partner. Knowing where to take pictures is better than just taking pictures and
hoping to get lucky. It’s the same with any other evidence.
EVP's are still rarer than people think. I do feel like some people are somehow
more "In tuned" to EVP's than normal people. Do I think I have this ability, or
have I just gotten better at doing it? I really don’t know. But i feel like
anyone can better their chances if they do their homework and apply some of the
inside secrets I have talked about. Over time you will get better, why? I don’t
know but you will if that makes sense. You will find out too that you will
develop an "ear" for it when listening for EVP's and you will pick them up when
the average person will not.
I have found that the EVP's that I get are just as good as any of the other
groups that are out there. So I can say that my techniques work, although a lot
of sites or articles out there are a lot different when it comes to EVP's. They
say limit your audio recordings to 2 minute intervals. I disagree with this and
feel like you are limiting yourself and missing a lot of good EVP's. I think the
ones that say that are just too lazy to want to have to go back and listen to
their audio. Trust me it is worth letting the audio run. The best EVP's are when
you least expect it. The spirits will speak when they feel like it not when you
want them to.
Something else I would like to touch on is the mental state of the person doing
EVP work. If you have a closed mind of are having a bad day it will affect your
results. You are wasting your time if you are upset, mad, or just not feeling up
to it. Better to save it for another day. Also if someone is with you is a
strong skeptic it could also have an effect. Be careful of the content of your
conversation while doing EVP's. Spirits often are listening to you and will
often make comments. Hope this will help the next time you go out and maybe it
will help you to make the best of your time.
David
Team Founder
12/2007