Do All Ghosts Want to Be Heard? Maybe.

Some ghosts want our attention as much as we want evidence that they’re real.

We may want to hear (or see) them, as much as the ghosts want to be heard.

Listening – and I don’t mean recording them with EVP devices, but actually listening to the ghosts – can transform your ghost hunting experience.

It can bring unexpected depths to our research, and it can actually help the ghost.

Sometimes, we forget that haunted sites aren’t there for our entertainment.

The ghosts that linger there were once living people with families and friends.

They have stories to tell, or messages to share.

They’re not lab mice for us to provoke, manipulate, and study.

Every ghost has a story to tell. It may be something they feel that they have to share, before “crossing over.”

So, listening to a ghost that wants to be heard could bring them relief, and escape from a self-imposed prison.

I need to remember this myself.

Far too often, I forget to consider the ghosts’ feelings. I can be so excited to find real ghostly phenomena, that I shift into hyper-focus.

The adrenaline rush takes over.

Suddenly, I’m looking for every anomalous clue or hint, and searching to identify the most active location at the site.

Yes, I want all the evidence, all at once. And, like a little kid, I want it now.

I forget that the ghost is there for a reason. There’s a story there, and the ghost wants to be heard by someone who actually – perhaps patiently – listens to them.

And that’s the problem: It’s easy to forget that – in ghost hunting – we’re often dealing with actual, sentient spirits.

They may linger here because they’re frightened. Or, deeply immersed in regrets, they’re trying to fix something they believe they broke.

Sometimes, it’s their own life that went off-the-rails in a direction they never anticipated.

It’s even worse when the ghost’s in-life decisions caused harm – or even death – to another.

But, whatever the reason those ghosts remain here, they may just need someone to listen to them.

In fact, the ghost may want to be heard, even more than you want evidence that they’re real.

What do ghosts need to say?

Maybe they need to confess something and feel forgiven, or at least understood.

Maybe they need assurance that there is something for them, after death.

Or, no matter how big their in-life mistakes were, that “something” isn’t necessarily a fiery eternity in hell.

Maybe they just want to know that their lives meant something. That, even after death, they’re remembered.

So, as ghost hunters, we may need to pause regularly and see if we get a sense of the person behind the ghostly activity.

A little compassion can go a long way.

I’m reminded of that saying, “We’re not human beings having a spiritual experience; we’re spiritual beings having a human experience.” (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin is credited with saying that.)

When we encounter a troubled ghost, affirming that can be a compassionate part of ghost hunting.

However, if you’re more science-based, you may leave that to team members more focused on spiritual interaction.

Either way, acknowledging the spirits can be an important – even essential – part of ghost research.

Yes, some spirits may want to be left alone, thank you very much.

But even some of them may really need a listening ear.

Perhaps their bluster is really a defense. They’re trying to avoid additional pain… as if being ignored isn’t bad enough.

Take regular breaks from being an investigator.

Some – not all – ghosts want to be heard. (And some spirits aren’t benign and should not be engaged with, in any manner.)

Pause if you become too immersed in your own research – and fascinating discoveries – to remember that many (or even most) ghosts are wounded or terrified spirits.

They may respond favorably if you address them respectfully. Give the ghosts a chance to be comfortable with you in what’s become “home” to them.

It’s worth trying.

It’s also good manners.

Then, they may be more open to confirming that they are ghosts and, yes, they’re actually there.

That’s when you’ll get your best evidence that the site is haunted.

Many ghosts want to be heard. Listen to them.

Working with the ghosts as real people, rather than treating them like lab mice, can produce far better research results.

And, in general, it’s kinder and more polite.

What Ghosts Look Like – Really!

If you’ve never seen a ghost, you might be surprised to learn what ghosts look like.

As much as I gripe about movies and TV shows misrepresenting ghost hunting, they have freed us from one bit of fiction.

People have (finally?) learned that most ghosts don’t appear as figures in white sheets.

In fact, not all ghosts appear, period and full stop.

In my decades of ghost hunting, I’ve often seen odd phenomena connected with ghosts.

However, I rarely see actual apparitions…

Not apparitions that look like real, live people, anyway.

The ghostly woman at the Spalding Inn carriage house came close. (And I’ve only once seen a ghost draped in a sheet.)

Despite that, I still believe in ghostly phenomena, even when there’s no visible evidence.

For me, other forms of evidence are more than enough. And there’s plenty of that, if you’re open to it.

Keep an open mind.

If you’re a new ghost hunter, decide what you’ll need to experience, to believe that ghostly encounters are real.

Note that I said “experience.” Not a precise, detailed preconception of what you’d need to see, or hear, or feel.

Maybe decide on, on a scale of 1 to 10, how weird an experience would need to be, to convince you a site is haunted.

Then you’ll know when you’ve found it, or – if it just doesn’t happen (or if it terrifies you) – when it’s time to quit.

However, a far better goal might be encountering something odd, eerie, or strange… but impossible to explain.

Is everything odd a ghost?

Personally, I have no doubt that spirits visit our world.

I’m absolutely certain that ghosts – or ghostly energy of people (and sometimes animals) from the past – exist.

Some are more sensitive to their presence than others are.

Perhaps we pass them daily, in broad daylight, and don’t realize it.

(Are they really from the past? That’s a different topic, best for those – like me – who are intrigued by ghosts, spirituality, and how it might align with quantum science.)

But let’s not insist every weird anomaly is a ghost.

(That may be a “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” issue.)

And let’s not hold such high standards for “what a ghost has to be,” that we don’t pursue curious anomalies that might be ghostly energy.

Understand what you’re looking for, because – in ghost hunting – you’re not likely to see an actual apparition.

This short video explains a little more about apparitions.

(See more ghost-related videos at my YouTube channel: Ghost Hunting with Fiona Broome.)

What would you have to encounter or experience in ghost hunting, to feel as if your questions were answered?

And how many “hmm… that’s odd” observations are you willing to investigate, in case they’re important?

Think about this. I mean it.

There’s always more to learn from ghost hunting, whether you’re a skeptic, a “true believer,” or somewhat in-between those extremes.

What is a Banshee? A Ghost, a Faerie or Something Else?

What is a banshee, and should you be afraid if you hear or see one? Here’s what you need to know, and whether to worry about this legendary spirit.

Banshees are unique in paranormal research.

When someone mentions a ghost, most of us think of cemeteries, haunted houses, and transparent figures draped in sheets.

Likewise, the word “faerie” is usually linked with cute little figures with wings, and merry mischief… like Tinkerbell.

However, mention a Banshee, and people squirm.

That spirit, like a ghost, can represent someone who lived in the past, but that is not her actual role.

She can appear transparent, usually the size of a living person. Nevertheless, like her fae counterparts, she is associated with a more magical Otherworld.

She reminds us that the Otherworld is a vast place, inhabited by many kinds of beings, including faeries and ghosts.

The Banshee – in Irish, the Bean Sidhe (pronounced “bann-SHEE”) – means “spirit woman” or sometimes a spirit (perhaps a faerie) dressed in white. She is usually described as a single being, although there are many of them.

Your Irish Family’s Banshee

According to legend, one Banshee guards each Milesian Irish family. These are the families descended from the “Sons of Mil” who emigrated to Ireland long ago. Often, those families’ surnames start with O’ or Mac, and sometimes Fitz. Remember, many of those prefixes have been dropped, particularly by American families.

In other words, if your ancestors lived in Ireland for a couple of generations, your family — and perhaps your household — probably has its own Banshee.

There is a Banshee for each branch of these families, and the family Banshee can follow the descendants to America, Australia, or wherever the Irish family travels or emigrates.

The Banshee protects the family as best she can, perhaps as a forerunner of the “Guardian Angel” in Christian traditions. However, we are most aware of her before a tragedy that she cannot prevent.

Traditionally, the Banshee appears shortly before a death in “her” family.

The Banshee is almost always female and appears filmy in a white, hooded gown. (The exception is in Donegal, Ireland, where she may wear a green robe, or in County Mayo where she usually wears black.)

However, if she is washing a shroud when you see her, she may merely signal a major life-changing event in your future. The way to determine this is to go home and burn a beeswax candle after seeing her. According to folklore, if it burns in the shape of a shroud, her appearance does foretell death.

The Banshee’s Wail

The night before the death, the Banshee wails piteously in frustration and rage. Her family will always hear her. Many others in the area will, too. For example, Sir Walter Scott referred to “the fatal banshi’s boding scream.”

One of the largest reports of this wailing was in 1938 when the Giants’ Grave in County Limerick, Ireland, was excavated and the bones were moved to a nearby castle.

The crying was heard throughout central Ireland. People said it sounded as if every Banshee in Ireland was keening.

That collective Banshee wail was unusual but not unique. When a group of Banshees are seen, they usually forecast the dramatic illness — and perhaps death — of a major religious or political figure.

In Irish mythological history, the Banshee tradition may be linked to the fierce Morrighan as the “Washer at the Ford,” a legend of Cuchulain. In that story, the Morrighan appeared as a young woman who prepared for an upcoming battle by washing the clothing — or perhaps the shrouds — of those who would fight and lose.

Does the Banshee Cause Death?

Despite her grim reputation, seeing or hearing a Banshee doesn’t cause death. Traditionally, the Banshee is a very kind woman. As poet and historian W. B. Yeats commented, “You will with the banshee chat, and will find her good at heart.”

Perhaps her appearance and wailing before a death are efforts to protect her family from death. or other tragedy that she foresees.

This is the clearest link to what are popularly called “ghosts.” In many stories, the spirit appears to warn the living about danger, illness, or death. Many gothic novels feature a ghost whose appearance forecasts death.

Likewise, in the Sherlock Holmes story, the Hound of the Baskervilles howled before a family death.

In real life, my maternal grandmother and her siblings were individually visited by the spectre of their mother, to warn them of her imminent death in a hospital many miles away, and to say goodbye.

This level of concern for the living is consistent with many ghosts, as well as the Banshee.

Whether the Banshee is a “ghost” or a “faerie” may never be resolved. However, the Banshee provides clear evidence that the lines separating ghosts, spirits, and faeries are vague at best.

—

(Most of this article originally appeared as “Banshee – Ghost, faerie or something else” – in October 1999 at my Suite 101 site.)

Photo credit:
Menlo Castle, photographed by dave gilligan, Limerick, Ireland (Eire)

How to Talk to an Audience about Ghosts – Checklist

For many years, I’ve spoken to groups of all ages, kinds and sizes. It’s a delight to tell people about this field.

I’ve learned a lot about what to say (and what not to say) and when to say it.

I hope this checklist helps you when you’re asked to speak in public, too.

Remember: You don’t have to include everything from this list. It’s a guideline to make presentations easier.

CHECKLIST

1. Introduction

Your name (or the name you use for this work) and where you are from.
How long you have been involved in paranormal research.
Why you began this research.
If you have a specialty, what it is, and why it is important to this research.

2. About your team (if you are part of one)

Name of your team, where it is based, and the area you cover.
How long your team has been researching.
Introduce team members by name and specialties, if they are with you.
What services you provide to the public (investigations, training, talks like this one) and how much — if anything — you charge.

3. The tools you use (if any)

Hold up each tool and explain what it is called, what it does, and how often you use it in your work.
Describe what you have brought with you to demonstrate (such as how an EMF meter works) or what you will be presenting (audio, video, a walking tour, etc.).
Explain which tools can be used by anyone (hiking compass/EMF meter, flashlight for yes/no, etc.) and which are best for professionals (IR video cameras, Frank’s Box, and so on.)

4. Present your information

If you are reporting on one or more investigations:
- Give an overview first.
- Explain where you researched, when, and why.
- Describe your experiences floor-by-floor and room-by-room. (A floor plan or map may help them visualize each encounter.)
- Tell the audience what “normal” would be, before each recording or demonstration.
- Demonstrate the research technique or play the recording three times (if it is short) and then ask if anyone has a question about that evidence.
- Take general questions and discuss specific situations at the end of the talk.
- If you are telling “ghost stories,” tell people whether they are fictional or your true experiences.
- Illustrate your stories with photos, recordings and/or drawings.
- Remember that your audience wants to be entertained. Use broad gestures, lots of variety in your voice, and so on.
- If you are taking the group on a walking tour, talk about where you are going, safety concerns, and your general rules (such as when they can ask questions). Then, lead the tour. (Optional: Organize them in teams of two, so no one gets lost or left behind.)

5. Close the talk

Tell them that you have completed your presentation.
Ask for questions or comments. Be sure they understand that there are no firm answers to most questions, and that is why we are still conducting research.
Refer the audience to your website, books, events, workshops, etc., for more information.
Close with contact information, and distribute any handouts you brought with you.
Explain that you have to leave at a certain time (be specific and stick to that), but you are happy to talk with people privately — for just a few moments — if they have questions.
Thank them for attending.
Smile when they applaud.
Before leaving, thank your host and give them a small gift (e.g., a book, a CD of EVP or a general presentation, a “ghost photo” from the location).

[Thanks to Claudia of Parahunt.com for restoring this.]

Ghost Hunting – 4 Easy Ghost Photo Mistakes (Even pros do this!)

It’s easy for anyone – even pros – to make mistakes with ghost photos.

That includes me. (Yes, really. Even now, it’s far too easy to blunder with ghost photos.)

Ghost Photos Mistakes

Here are the four biggest mistakes I’ve seen in the field:

Thinking everything “weird” in a photo is a ghost. Sometimes, normal explanations apply… sometimes they don’t.
Not taking enough photos. Each time you take a picture, take a second one, or more. Those extra photos can help you separate what’s normal from a genuine anomaly.
Thinking we can explain all ghost photos as dust, bugs, rain, etc. No, we can’t. Some really are paranormal.
Ignoring the context. Context and personal impressions may be the single most-important part of ghost research… and they can be the easiest to overlook.

Let’s go through those four points, one by one. They’re things I’ve learned over decades of trial-and-error research at haunted sites.

Thinking Everything Is a Ghost

We can explain some orbs. The #1 culprit is flying insects.

Those orbs are usually an irregular shape, like an oval instead of a nearly perfect circle.

Indoors or out, regularly look at lights – streetlights, flashlights (briefly turned on), and other lighting. See if any insects are swarming or flying past.

If you see flying insects, be especially aware of orbs in your photos.

Even better, have a friend (or team member) stand to the side, but a little in front of you. Have him/her look for anything highlighted by your flash, when you take the picture.

And then, be sure to note that, either on a notepad or with a voice recording.

Likewise, dust happens.

The way to identify something that might be dust, is to see if – in sequential photos or video – it falls straight down because of gravity.

A straight line across the photo could be a camera glitch, or a flying insect, but it’s unlikely to be dust.

On a humid or rainy night, you may see several dozen orbs in your photos. If all – or most – of your photos show a massive number of orbs, maybe it’s the weather. (Just one or a few orbs that show up now & then…? They could be paranormal.)

The weather isn’t the only culprit when you see a lots of orbs, or a fine (but mysterious) mist. It could be your breath, even if the weather isn’t especially cold. (Don’t exhale until after taking each picture.)

I wish I’d known the breath issue when I took the following Gilson Road photo. I might have done some on-site debunking, right away. (Instead, I’ll never know if this was a genuine anomaly.)

Always consider normal explanations, even if they seem a little weird at first. And test your cameras (including your phone) at not-haunted sites, to see what dust, pollen, reflective surfaces, and humidity look like.

The two worst culprits are flying insects and your own breath as you exhale. In photos, either of them can produce cool, weird, ghostly looking anomalies.

Not Taking Enough Photos

At any haunted location, it’s essential to take two to four pictures in rapid succession. Try not to breathe or move, in between those photos.

Then, you can compare one photo with another, to see what – if anything – changed. The changes might help rule out false anomalies.

Also, be sure to pause regularly and take photos to your right, to your left, and in back of you. Later, they’ll help you identify sources of false anomalies.

(They may also show you unexpected anomalies. Not all ghosts strike a pose for the camera. Some might flee in the other direction… in back of you.)

Indoors, take photos in other, nearby rooms.

Outdoors, walk a few hundred yards away – or up the road – and take photos.

One of the big questions to ask when you see an anomaly in a photo is: Why this anomaly, at this location?

If the anomalies show up everywhere, even 1/4 mile up the road, it might be dust or humidity or insects.

If you see few (or no) anomalies anywhere else, and there’s no easy explanation… it might be a ghost.

Thinking All Orbs Can’t Be Paranormal

Many skeptics (and ill-advised investigators) insist that all orbs are dust, pollen, humidity, rain, reflections, and so on.

I know because, before I tested how likely those explanations are, I insisted we could explain most orbs. (At the time, it seemed logical.)

Yes, I was wrong.

I feel terrible about misleading people about orbs, even if it was unintentional. Please accept my apologies if I misled you.

Today, we can’t just brush them off as dust, rain, etc.

Six years of testing, under a variety of conditions, showed me that. (Yes, I was so sure I was right, I kept testing. And testing. And testing… until I had to admit I was wrong.)

Here are a few of my test photos.

NOLA - Pirates Alley, on a foggy, rainy night — Rainy, foggy night with bright lights. No orbs.

Flash reflected in glass. Lots of glass & metal objects in shop windows. Traffic cone with reflective surface. No orbs.

Toulouse Street, New Orleans. — Another damp, foggy night. Lots of bright lights. No ghost orbs.

Where’s the Proof?

The fact is, if you set things up “just so,” you can mimic almost everything we consider paranormal. That includes:

Apparitions (tricks of the light)
Shadow people (didn’t notice a light source & reasonable shadow)
Doors that open & close by themselves (bad carpentry or the building’s foundation shifted over time)
UFOs (experimental or low-flying aircraft)
Bigfoot (big guy in a costume)

… and so on.

(But ghost orbs…? Not so easy.)

My point is: if you’re looking for 100% irrefutable proof that something is a ghost – or that ghosts exist, at all – you’re likely to be disappointed.

For now, the only real proof is how the experience affects people, or if – in the light of day – they can explain whatever-it-was with confidence.

Ignoring the Context

If your memory isn’t perfect, take notes during the investigation.

The context matters. What else was going on, when you took those photos?

Was everyone bored or unimpressed by the location?

If that didn’t change around the time you took the unusual photos, it decreases the likelihood .

However, if several things happened at once – to you, or those near you – like chills, an uneasy feeling, an unexplained noise – take your photos more seriously.

In recent years, people have relied heavily on evidence in the form of gadgets – ghost hunting equipment, usually electronic. They’ve paid less attention to their personal experiences and observations.

Or worse, they’ve dismissed them altogether.

The biggest mistake in ghost hunting – not just ghost photos – is ignoring what your own five (or six) senses are telling you.

Pay close attention to them, and you’ll be a better ghost hunter… and take better ghost photos.

Related articles at this website:

More ghost photos articles, online:

Learn more about ghosts and haunted places at my YouTube channel, Ghost Hunting with Fiona Broome.

Ghost Hunting – Are Videos “Proof”?

Are ghost hunting videos proof of anything? What is “proof” of ghosts? Reality shows have affected standards, and – as I see it – that’s a problem.

Of course, networks stopped calling things like Ghost Hunters “reality shows,” and adopted the term “unscripted.”

Those shows still led people to expect paranormal investigations to be just like Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, Ghost Adventures, and Most Haunted UK. But that wouldn’t be very interesting to watch as entertainment.

(In my opinion, the Klinge Brothers’ Ghost Lab series was far more realistic, but even that was edited for sensationalism and cliffhangers at commercial breaks.)

What Do Ghost Hunting Videos Prove?

A recent article, 5 Ghost Hunting Tactics To Use In 2019 (https://www.ghostlyactivities.com/5-ghost-hunting-tactics-to-use-in-2019/), I read the following:

“In 2018, I invested heavily in video equipment. When I go on ghost hunts now, I bring 3 or more camcorders with me. Video is the language of the Web now. If you can’t put the clip online for your peers, curiosity seekers and skeptics, then everything you captured and experienced is just fiction for the masses.”

I’m not sure when personal experience took a back seat to the goal of proving something to others. Between Photoshop and AfterEffects, almost anyone can edit ghost hunting photos and videos to look fairly convincing.

In Ghost Hunting, What is Proof?

When someone talks with me about their encounter with a ghost, their physical evidence can be compelling. Maybe even cool to see or listen to.

But that’s not the primary standard I use in evaluating whether the experience was paranormal.

I’m always listening to the words they use, and how they say them. Are they trying to convince me, or do they sound astonished, even baffled by their experience?

If it’s necessary to prove things with video clips, I wonder how much narcissism – the value of others’ opinions more than your own – is affecting this field.

Of course, if you’re hoping to spin a successful YouTube channel into a TV series, yes, videos do matter.

But, in my opinion, your personal experiences – particularly what impacts your five (or six) senses – are the real evidence.

I think they’re far more important than expecting a ghost showing up, on cue, for your photo, EVP recording, or video.

Putting Ghostly Evidence in Context

When most people talk to me about a site that may be haunted, their questions come from two very different contexts:

1) They are afraid their home is haunted, and they’re worried about their safety; OR,

2) They’ve experienced something odd (or have a photo or video with an anomaly), usually at home or at a family gathering, and they’d like to think it was a visit from their great-aunt Harriet… or someone else they loved, who’s passed.

Of course, I pay close attention to anything that might be a real safety concern. That includes everything from carbon monoxide leaks to a malicious – perhaps demonic, not ghostly – presence.

If the person might be in danger, I advise them to stay with friends or relatives while their concerns are evaluated by professionals. (This usually means a skilled home repair expert, and perhaps an expert team of paranormal investigators.)

But, if they’re unnecessarily anxious, I assure them that it’s probably not a ghost.

And, even if it is, most ghosts are harmless. They may be bad-tempered or cause mischief, but it’s not like the Paranormal Activity movies, or Netflix’s Hill House series.

This short video explains a little more about apparitions, and what’s normal… in paranormal research, anyway:

(See more ghost-related videos at my YouTube channel: Ghost Hunting with Fiona Broome.)

On the other hand, if the person feels that they’ve had a meaningful visit from their beloved great-aunt Harriet, I’m happy to agree that her spirit may be saying hello, now and then.

Between those two extremes are the kinds of cases that most ghost hunters are looking for. I usually hear about them from fellow ghost hunters, and people who’ve just begun exploring haunted sites.

In those reports, people talk about their experiences as weird, eerie, and spooky. They’re not sure what to do next.

This is important: Almost every credible, first-person ghost story has a mix of intellectual curiosity and emotional uncertainty.

The Best Evidence is Personal

In recent conversations with fellow researchers, almost 100% of paranormal professionals have raised concerns about people’s reliance on ghost hunting equipment.

It’s something I’ve talked about before: Events where people are so fixated on their EMF devices or “ghost apps,” they completely miss the truly astonishing phenomena right in front of them… because it doesn’t show up in photos, videos, etc.

Real ghost hunting usually involves sitting in one location for hours, with nothing happening.

And then, when something does occur, it may only be a fleeting chill (or blast of heat), or a momentary visual anomaly or sound.

It might be some other sensory strangeness, and perhaps an emotional connection that can’t be explained or forgotten.

Or, it may be something terrifying, and you run out of the site as fast as you can… and hope it doesn’t follow you.

You can’t convey that in a video. Not the bone-chilling shock of your first ghost encounter.

Personal experiences are what make a ghost hunter certain that he or she just encountered something paranormal, and probably ghostly.

That’s also what draws people to this field: the eerie, spooky, utterly weird things that happen in truly haunted places. No Halloween “haunted house” or TV show can provide that experience.

Are you brave enough for that?

Why Are You Ghost Hunting?

If you’re trying to replicate something you saw on TV, that’s an unrealistic goal.

Some TV shows are more authentic than others. Few, if any, show what people really experience as ghost hunters.

If you’re hoping to create a popular YouTube channel of ghost videos – and perhaps get a TV show of your own – you’ll need to be very creative with your video editing as well as your acting.

The good news is, a lot of people have given up on ghost hunting. The bad news is, they had good reason to. Even the iconic show, Ghost Hunters, was cancelled.

Others – like Most Haunted UK‘s reboot – took a break and returned with a more authentic, slightly skeptical approach. And, they’re going out on a few limbs, as well. (So far, I like what they’re doing with the new version of that show.)

So, if you’re ghost hunting for an audience, maybe you should focus on video equipment, as recommended in the “Ghost Hunting Tactics” article I mentioned, earlier. He makes some good points in that article.

When You’re Truly Intrigued by Ghosts

But maybe – like me and many researchers – you’re hoping for an extraordinary, memorable encounter with something you know can’t be explained… except as something ghostly.

In that case, I’m not telling you to abandon your ghost hunting equipment. Instead, set it up so it’s mostly hands-off.

- That can mean strategically placing video cameras on tripods on letting them record. Or, using a wearable video device you can ignore while you’re investigating.
- Maybe you’ll strap your voice recorder or phone to your arm, and have it record everything for you to listen to, later.

Or, take turns with your ghost hunting equipment. For example:

- Assign one or two people to monitor those devices for an hour or two (or an entire investigation), while you investigate without those distractions.
- Then, swap places so the others have a chance to experience real ghost hunting.

For me, the thrill of ghost hunting is when I see something extraordinary, like a brief flicker of an apparition. Or, several of us are struck by a tidal wave of unexplained grief.

Or, we sense the anger of a very territorial ghost who disapproves of us, or he’s protecting “his” home. (Sometimes we’re polite and leave. Usually, we advise him that we have every right to be there, too.)

In general, the range of eerie experiences is wide, and – when you encounter it – you know it’s something paranormal.

I believe the real proof of a ghost is personal. It’s what you experienced and how it affected you.

And that’s what really matters, whether or not you can support it with photos, videos, EVP, or anything technological.