A Guide to Paranormal Investigation, Sort Of

For a few weeks I’m going to be publishing installments for sort of a beginners guide to paranormal investigating. Just letting folks know what I have learned so that they may use the information if needed.

This is ISSUE #1: Introduction and Clients

IF I COULD, A WORD PLEASE

What is presented to you in this article is an attempt by me to pass on to the enthusiasts of the paranormal which frequent our fair site a small portion of experience and wisdom. I’d like to offer some friendly advice from one enthusiast (who moved beyond just passive interest) to you enthusiasts who may be thinking of doing this yourselves. I, in no way, claim to know everything and more than once found myself minimally adequate at best when faced with something unexplained I hadn’t encountered before. But, as it is, encountering is the only way to learn, so I am simply imparting what I have begun to learn so that you start off on the right foot.

I am earnestly light-hearted and may joke, but I am sincere that what I offer to you is important. After all, paranormal investigating is above all about education; you need a genuine desire to bring knowledge and growth to people about a much misunderstood, essential phenomena in our world.

DON’T PANIC

As with hitchhiking in space, don’t forget this important first rule. I’m not suggesting you will and certainly everyone knows doing so never helps. It is just good to remind yourself on occasion so that your a little more ready when caught unawares.

A large reason never to panic is that there almost always isn’t anything to panic about. I’m not telling you that paranormal activity is rare, quite the contrary, there is a lot of it, everywhere and all the time, but the vast majority is completely unseen, on a plane just beyond our perception. More than likely you’ll not need your towel.

What this means for you, me, and everybody is that far more often the unexplained sounds in your home are the workings of simple physics or your cat than it is a being from beyond. The human imagination is vast and your brain will entertain you with notions of a haunted house because a little scare once in a while is admittedly fun.

With that in mind, let’s get down to the good stuff, how to go about investigating the paranormal, win friends and admiration, be flocked by groupies and have fortune and fame.

THE CLIENT AND YOU

By the way I lied about friends and groupies and especially money. It isn’t happening in this life time, I assure you unless you strike some killer book deal. That isn’t important though, we do it for the experience, right? Good.

Since the people you will be dealing with are the very source from which you will find out about local paranormal activities your going to have to get some people skills. I know a lot of us are the type to only hang around with those like us and hide out in basements but you’re going to have to get over that. You will be dealing with people a LOT. Asking permission to be somewhere without trespassing, asking locals who know who to even ask for that permission, the folks whose experiences you’ll be investigating, and so forth. You don’t need to be prince charming, but “sir” and “mame” are important, as well as “please” and “thanks”; just use common courtesy and you’ll do fine. Don’t sacrifice truth for courtesy though, always be straight-forward with people. Even to the point of slight offense to them.

You’ll meet a few common types along the way and you should be aware of these individuals beforehand.

THE OVER-ENTHUSIAST

There are those souls that want so much to believe and experience the paranormal that they cannot be convinced otherwise that something really is only as it appears. You must be gentle with these folks, sometimes their desire to believe is because of a sheltered life, or abuse (escapism), or just loneliness and a desire to be a part of something greater than themselves. Be gentle but firm

THE UNREASONABLE SKEPTIC

The opposite of our first example, there are those who refuse to believe anything beyond what they can perceive and are even angered if you suggest anything paranormal or even ask permission to do any paranormal investigating. Trying to convince this type of person is simply impossible until more of society embraces the paranormal as a reality. Be polite and never come to anger and if they really want you to leave, do so, you can’t make them let you do anything.

THE MEDICATED

I’m not being mean at all, just very honest. Some of those you’ll encounter will be those in need of mental help. The paranormal at times relates closely to mental illness. Scary and frightening images and terrible thoughts come from horror and out relevant subject matter. It is important to be aware that, no matter how earnest they are, a client of yours may very well be seeing things. I personally ask if they are taking any medications for mental disorders and if so, nicely as what for. Just be aware of this possibility.

Don’t get frustrated with people. Some don’t know better and others can’t help it. Help those you can and leave those you can’t be. Your average individual that it will be necessary to interact with will be much like anyone. Fairly reasonable and open-minded, perhaps reserved but willing to at least listen.
In searching for clients just listen well. Local stories exist everywhere of haunted houses or buildings, places or people that have experienced the supernatural. Take notice when a friend tells you his grandmother says theres ghosts in her attic, ask to meet her. Getting started will seem a bit slow, but just offer to listen to people’s tales can make a lot of headway for getting into investigating the paranormal. As you meet and talk with more people, they will eventually starting coming to you with their questions and experiences.

As for charging money, since we have to make a living, this is what I follow. Only if the case turns out to be something completely bogus (someone with an illness calls me, unknown to their gaurdians, someone just indulging this type or a paranoid loved one to get them to stop asking, etc) do I charge anything. Ussualy just gas, lunch, and tolls.

NEXT WEEK: HOW TO START A CASE AND KNOW WHEN IT IS AND ISN’T A GHOST.

WEEK AFTER THAT: BENIGN EXPERIENCES AND MALIGNANT EXPERIENCES; WHAT TO DO.

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