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If there’s one mistake many ghost hunters make, it’s expecting specific things from ghosts.
We all do this, now and then. And, if we’re lucky, we don’t have deep regrets afterwards.
At a ghost hunting event, a typical first-time ghost hunter might expect to actually see something. No, not a ghost-in-a-sheet like Casper, or like Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, but something more… Well, however the individual thinks ghosts “should” appear.
Maybe it’s something translucent. Or, as in horror films, a bloody or ghoulish figure representing how the ghost died.
Perhaps you’re expecting a solid-looking figure, but dressed in outdated clothes. (That’s not impossible, though — so far — it seems rare.)
If you arrive at a haunted sites with very specific ideas of what a “real” ghost encounter should be like… that visit or event could be disappointing.
However, other expectations and false ideas can be downright dangerous.
Keep this in mind.
The ghosts don’t care about you.
Really, aside from the occasional “friendly ghost” as in the classic tale, The Canterbury Ghost, ghosts rarely care about others.
Most ghosts either don’t seem to understand that their physical lives concluded years ago, or they do know they died, but believe they can change something about the outcome. (The classic is probably “Heaven Can Wait,” both the 1943 and 1978 remake. I like both of them.)
Where this becomes dangerous is if the ghost is angry. In desperation, that kind of rage can prove dangerous. While actual, physical threats from ghosts are extremely rare, they can happen.
I’ve written several articles about the risks of ghost hunting, including Why to Stop Looking for a ‘Good Scare’, and a far older article, Dangers of Paranormal Research.
Mostly, at this time of year (October) when so many people go looking for ghosts, it’s important to remember that an entity that hasn’t “crossed over” or moved on… that spirit probably doesn’t care about you or your safety. And, in some cases, they’ll do almost anything to get your attention, or to remind themselves that they still have some power (even if they use it in malicious ways).
And, of course, many (maybe most?) ghosts seem eager to turn back the clock so they’ll have a “do-over” of whatever mistake they most regretted when they died. Some of them think you can help them to do that.
While we all want to be helpful, it’s essential to remember that the reason the ghost feels “stuck” in this world… it may not be very nice.
Don’t expect a ghost to be thoughtful. Or even kind.
Especially if you’re new to ghost hunting, keep your guard up.
This doesn’t mean you should be excessively anxious. Or literally “jumping at shadows.”
Whether you’re ghost hunting out of curiosity or as a serious researcher, it’s fine to be an observer.
However, don’t expect a ghost to be reasonable or respect your boundaries.