~ A Common-Sense, UN-"PC" Approach ~
(That is sadly lacking in many ghost groups; i don't parrot the same old BS!)
Please note that the opinions expressed on this page are merely MY OPINIONS; i never, ever say that they are the "gospel truth" and that anyone who doesn't think as i do is "wrong"! Like everyone else, i'm entitled to my own opinions. Other sites express THEIRS; on this site, i express MINE! I hope this article will make you THINK and consider DIFFERENT ideas!
In my 23+ years of being a Witch, i've managed to piss off a fair amount of the Wiccan Community with my views -- now, it's time to give "Ghost Hunting" a shot.................!
The quote by medium Derek Acorah (above) sums it up. I've received letters from various "ghost hunting groups" saying things like:
"...Unfortunately we do not use psychic methods in our investigation', due to the skeptics -- it is hard to use that as evidence. We use purely scientific means as evidence...."
IMHO, the above is Pure BS! I "part company" with groups who follow that philosophy, and for several reasons. The "Great God Science" does NOT have the answers to many, many things.......and, there are some that will forever remain a Mystery forever (like "What is God"? ).
Ghosts are NOT like predicting the weather (which, btw, meterologists are lousy at! ). There is a SPIRITUAL element -- human/animal souls -- involved in this, that no piece of ghost hunting gear is ever gonna figure out. To me, emphasising the "scientific aspect" while neglecting the "spiritual" one is VERY unbalanced!
People have been investigating ghosts/the paranormal for hundreds of years -- way before Harry Price -- and, what exactly HAS been discovered? WHAT has been "proven" by Science?
Completely, Absolutely, Utterly..................NOTHING.
To not consider psychic things in ghost hunting is NOT keeping an "open mind", as scientists are supposed to do...... the only REAL advances will be made by those who are willing to "chuck" the stupid "protocols" and venture into different realms, different ideas. For example, when Thomas Edison was working on the light bulb, he literally tried THOUSANDS of substances, but nothing would work. Finally, he decided to take a DIFFERENT ROUTE -- a vacuum -- and then, and only then, was success achieved.
I hate to say it, but "ghosts" will NEVER, EVER be explained away by science. They fall in the realm of the supernatural, and, as such, there will NEVER be an explanation. As Derek Acorah said above,
You will never, EVER hear a "parapsychologist" say, "that was a GHOST"! You'll hear words like "supposed", "alleged", etc, along with BS "explanations" of dust, creaking floorboards, drafts, etc. So, imho, they are totally USELESS, as they will never admit it! Even if their late Uncle Henry appeared in front of them, in the light, and told them something only HE would know, they still would not believe it. The "para-numbskulls" on "Most Haunted" particularly annoy me.....
Being subbornly skeptical is JUST as bad as being overly-accepting -- neither extreme is good. They come up with statement like, "we have to determine whether it was just "natural phenomena or something else". (What that "something else" IS, they never say. And that 5-letter word, "GHOST", is NEVER uttered"......
I get really pissed when these groups, as part of their "protocol", refuse to consider pictures taken of reflections. Again -- look at the EVIDENCE. Look at how many photos show ghosts "looking out" of windows (couldn't they be IN the glass itself!??!), tv/computer screens, car windows, even mirrors. As i pointed out on my article, "The GLASS of Staats House", it could very well be that, somehow, glass (being composed mainly of quartz), might be able to hold images that were once reflected in them, much like a photographic plate. (btw.....the earliest photographic plates were made of GLASS! Quartz! Coincidence? I don't think so. But, these narrow-minded "scientists" refuse to consider such a possibility, which i think is WRONG).
Everywhere i look, EVERYONE i see is a "professional" or "certified" ghost hunter. What exactly does that mean? What makes them so? Did they take a course (taught, of course, by another "pro"!...but, where did HE get to be "certified"?), or what? I've been seeing ghosts since i was 7, and have heard them talk to me, seen them, been touched by them, and have communicated with 'em for the past 46 years..........i guess that makes ME a "pro", too!
There's an old Zen saying......"learn the rules..........then FORGET the rules!". In other words, KNOW what you're doing, then forget the mechanics and just DO it. "Knowledge is what's left when all the facts and rules are forgotten". All the things people learn in these "courses" IS good practice for DISCIPLING one's self for an investigation, but these things have been done thousands of times, and again, exactly WHAT has any of this proven?
Zip. Goose Egg. Zilch. Nada. Nothing......but they continue to do it because someone, at some time, determined that this was "accepted protocol". BS! And, they honestly wonder why this field never makes any progress! DUH!
I have had people write me, saying "If you aren't trying to help Science accept the reality of the spirit world, why do u bother?". Simple. As i mentioned somewhere else, i had a NDE when i was 7, and have seen & heard ghosts since that time. I DON'T HAVE TO "prove it" -- to me, there is absolutely NO DOUBT!!!!!!!!!! Plus, i can show a skeptic all the video, pix, and EVPs that have ever been recorded (there are probably MILLIONS of these) -- if the person is close-minded, it won't make any difference. "To a skeptic, no proof is POSSIBLE"! I get a lot of enjoyment "hunting ghosts", and i present my findings to you.........
It's up to YOU to believe or disbelieve.
Please note that i am NOT trying to "piss people off -- it's just that my views tend to "differ" from most, who mindlessly accept what is told to them........., and these people get the psychotic idea that i'm bashing THEM).
Lately, i've been hearing idiotic statements (from sites like "Ghost Study") that any picture with more than 3 orbs in it is "probably dust". I'd like to know who the idiot is who came up with THAT number! Why "3"? One theory that an "orb is the first stage of a manifestion (apparition)". It is not necessary an "embyonic form" of a complete ghost; only a "bundle of energy". If this is true, then many, many orbs would have to "come together" (like living tissue cells) to generate the energy & substance needed to form an apparition.
IMHO, photos that show MANY orbs ARE the "2nd stage" of this. (The first stage being orbs -- "psychic energy" -- just "floating around". If conditions are right, they will merge and the 3rd stage (apparition) will be created.
Also, i myself have taken many pix showing dozens of orbs, and IMMEDIATELY took another photo (as fast as my digital camera could charge -- 1 to 3 seconds). If it WAS dust, where did EVERY SINGLE dust particle go? How come they're ALL gone? You'd think that 1 or 2 would remain in the picture. (See an example HERE ). People who parrot this sort of nonsense are FOOLS! (And, i don't give a damn WHAT their "credentials" are! Unlike them, I'M using Common Sense!).
Let me give you the "skinny" on 2 of the most popular "ghost shows". First, "Most Haunted" from England isn't bad, but with all that equipment, an excellent medium, etc, all they ever seem to do is to run screaming into the night every time a twig snaps, or a sound is heard. If these people (especially the "presenter") have such Shit Fits, they should NOT BE ON THAT SHOW!
She seems soooo damned smug at the beginning of each episode, but, once the lights are out, i thinks she's ready to pee in her pants every time a noise is heard! What a WUSS!
As i said on the "Most Haunted" message board:
"I just saw the Drury Lane Theatre episode. I canNOT believe what they did when 3 of them saw (only!!) legs walking up the stairs. What did they do? Photograph it? No, they RAN LIKE HELL!!! !@#!!@!@@ Ok....if you were ALONE, it might be unnerving.... .but there were THREE of 'em there, cameras in hand!
This may sound like a stupid question, but WHAT'S THE POINT of all this? Why spend all that money on cameras, expensive equipment, and pay the salaries of all those people if, when a SUPER-RARE opportunity like that happened, you don't take advantage of it?
I truly don't understand this. Pls, someone explain it to me; really. I MUST be dense, stupid, or all of the above..... but this truly makes no sense at all.
Can someone PLEASE get ME on that show? With all that equipment and the medium, i'd DAMN SURE get some great footage. .......and, not of me running away, either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
UPDATE: As time goes on, i'm seeing a LOT more professionalism on Most Haunted. Members (esp Yvette & Cath) are freaking out less, and that's a good thing! Now, it's the so-called "parapsychologists" that are getting more & more nervous..... (Altho why any scientist would "freak out" over a board creaking because of "changing atmospheric conditions" is beyond ME....).
BUT i'm noticing something more and more that's a MAJOR problem with them, and (as far as i know) no one's ever addressed it. When one of them goes into a room, they point the camera at THEMSELVES. You see a startled look, and they shout, "I see a monk over THERE!". By the time they swing their camera around, of course, it's gone........... What they need to do is to keep the camera pointed AT THE ROOM; not themselves! (If they think that we'd rather see their faces instead of ghosts, they should have 2 cameras -- one for the room, the other for their faces). They have missed capturing a LOT of potentially-fantastic phenomena on film, because the camera wasn't pointed in the right direction..........
Another thing that bothers me is when they keep asking, "Are there any ghosts/spirits/astral beings who wish to communicate with us?". Now, what could be wrong with THAT? Simple. Many, many spirits DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY ARE "DEAD"! This has been proven over and over again, esp. when Derek has entered a trance and, when asked "when did you die?" respond with "dead? WHO's dead? are you balmy"? And, not knowing that they are, in fact, "dead", they repeat their last actions for all Eternity.
So, if you ask "Are there any GHOSTS/SPIRITS/ASTRAL BEINGS who wish to communicate with us?", someone who believes that they're still ALIVE is not gonna respond! Think about it...........
Btw.....i DO believe that Derek is a genuine medium and that MH is REAL. Ciaran (& the other "parapsychologists") have treated Derek quite badly, and i believe that this was Ciaran's way of "getting back" at Derek. About that oft-quoted "made-up name" business -- Derek is psychic, and COULD be picking up that name from anyone present. (Heck! Even *I* can do THAT!). And, i've seen EVERY episode of MH, and have NEVER seen this "footage of the MH crew pushing people", etc. HAS ANYONE SEEN IT?
UPDATE: I have since seen that footage and, in the interests of Fair Play, i'd like to show it here. Unfortunately, the clips are no longer on www.youtube.com.
The first clip shows a seance wherein you can see Yvette's finger (obviously!) trying to move the glass with her finger. This could be deliberate cheating or unconscious movement on her part.
The 2nd clip is a bit difficult to hear but, at the end of the clip, Yvette (or another female) says that "Possesssions aren't real....... 'cos he's......he's a fake". First, IS it Yvette speaking, and secondly, is she stating something that she knows FOR SURE, or merely giving her OPINION? I'll leave that up to the viewer. There are also the All Importantm"TV ratings" to contend with and, let's face it, you can't turn off the supernatural like a light switch. Sadly, for "entertainment purposes",nsome things are "fudged". But, i DO think that most of the series is genuine.
I re-watched the "Prideaux Place" episode, where Ciaran claims to have made up a fake name "Rik Eedles" (the scrambled letters of "Derek lies", and told some crew members about it). Ciaran claims that Derek must've overheard that name, and said that this "person" was present and was actually "possessed" by this fake entity!
The above is 100% Bullshit! The biggest of Ciaran's lies is that he (Ciaran) was not on this investigation, so how could he have "told a crew member about it", for Derek to overhear? Lie # 2: At no time during that program was Derek possessed by ANYONE, let alone "Rik Eedles"!
Derek came up with this name, and while he, Karl, and someone else was in the room, asking "Rik" to "do something", sounds were heard & orbs were photographed. And, when Derek asked Rik to open the door, the door was caught on film, MOVING! Just because no one had ever heard of "Rik", doesn't mean he never existed! What does all this tell you?
In the Tissington Hall episode, Karl and Stuart are in the basement when a door closes by itself. Ciaran's explanation? "Someone hiding down there". What BS! Don't they keep track of where the crew is during their investigations? If not, that's pretty sloppy investigating. If they DO keep track, then who was it? What a joke. (Btw....i used to have a lot of respect for Karl and Stuart, but now they're not much better than the screaming women! Ghost hunting has reduced 'em to Jello! I can hear Stuart saying "I don't like it down here........got the feeling that i'm being watched......". Scheesh!).
Ciaran is known for his stupid "explanations" for phenomena that the team experiences. In a recent episode, a heavy dinner plate (that was in the CENTER of a table) wound up on the floor as the team was leaving. What caused it? According to him, it "might possibly be vibrations", or "someone bumped up against the table as everyone was leaving the room".
Never mind that almost everyone was OUTSIDE the room when it occurred, and those still in the room were far from it! I'm surprised that he didn't blame it on "infrasound", "insects" or "dust"!
IMHO, Ciaran is an ass! A pompous, know-it-all, superior ASS.
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~ The ~ CIARAN - O - METER  |
You, too, can have a "doctorate" is parapsychology! Just create a "Ciaran-O-Meter", like the one above. After an investigation, just spin it and spout the Sage Wisdom it offers! One thing, tho, about the "VERY Interesting" comment. After you say those words, DON'T elaborate on ANYTHING. Just look "wise" and don't bother to tell anyone that you actually have NO IDEA as to what caused the phenomena. Hopefully, no one will think to ask!
Here's something ELSE that i find laughable about MH -- the using of laser beams to act as "alarms" if a ghost happens to walk thru the beam. Hello? Is anyone home!??!?!?! Think about the stupiditiy in that experiment. A ghost is made of something that is so intangable that it can walk thru a SOLID wall......do they REALLY think it's capable of breaking a laser beam by passing THRU it? Not a chance! MORE idiocy!
Now, to the USA, and that dumb show CRAPS.......er,....ah....TAPS (3 or 4 ghost hunters told me about it because, in THEIR words, "it's GREAT for a good laff!"). I must admit that i only saw a couple of episodes, so it might be unfair to judge the entire series, but what i saw was a joke. Let's look at the one where they went to a haunted "Railroad Museum". All the "leader" did thru-out the entire program was to bitch, bitch, BITCH about someone losing a mike.........this should NOT have been shown, as (imho), it was VERY unprofessional. Ok, someone lost the mike. Either make the guy responsible for it pay for it, have everyone "chip in" and buy another, have the guy leave the group or accept your loss.
....but, Shut the F--- UP already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At one point, one of the so-called "ghost hunters" had to spend time with a dummy dressed as a conductor (sitting at a desk) in a haunted area.....i had to laugh out loud when he said, 'Now, i'm gonna be seeing his eyes following me all night!".
I just rolled my eyes, and muttered to myself, "MAN! With an attitude like THAT, you shit-sure picked the wrong hobby!". (To this day, i'm not sure WHICH was the "dummy"!). And, for all their fancy-shmancy equipment, they don't seem to "capture" very much............
I'm proud to say that i have been banned from the TAPS message board, 'cos i DARED to state my opinion, and to speak out against the morons that these fools worship as "gods". "Oh! They're on TV! They MUST be the 'real thing'! They MUST know everything on the subject! We MUST be their groupies and treat 'em as gods!".
(I've also been banned by (at least ONE) NJ "Ghost Org" that finds my site "offensive" and is "nothing but self-promotion" (THEIR words). However, THEIR site does nothing much but promote their (idiotic) "hearse tours" which, imho, does NOT belong on a Ghost Org site. It's the old case of "do as i SAY, not as i DO"! Can we all say the word "hypocrites!" here?)
Now, let's talk about that "spook-show" newcomer, The Learning Channel's "Dead Tenants". I had the opportunity of investigating one of the haunted houses after if was shown on TV. I must admit that the Preternatural Society does a good job (except for one of the mediums who, imho, "goes overboard" with "theatrics"...probably for the cameras). BUT, the problem is the way the show is edited by The Learning Channel itself! It has clearly distorted many of the facts about that investigation; so-much-so that i doubt if i could ever believe ANY of the investigations shown on "Dead Tenants"!
TLC has told me that "editing down over 50 hours of footage into an hour show" would "cause some distortions".......but, not out-and-out LIES. (That's a "BS" remark if ever i HEARD one!).
Read my Expose' of "Fred's" House here!
I truly wonder why a group like the PRS would deal with a TV Network that has blatantly distorted their findings; my only guess would be the publicity. (But, as i pointed out to them, you can help people with hauntings WITHOUT publicity. *I* do!).
I've just discovered a pathetic little "ghosty" group in Orlando, Fla, "Spookhunters". These people are NOT serious AT ALL about the subject.......their videos are full of the member "playing games" with each other. And, their "ghost pix" and EVP are pathetic to the EXTREME! Their lack of respect for the dead makes me SICK!
Like CRAPS, all they want to do is sell their idiotic dvd, clothing, and other mass marketing. Just a bunch of snot-nosed-wet-behind-the-ears wussies who are desparately for the "Spotlight", with nothing to show for all their "work". Avoid THESE Nutcases at All Cost!
Here are some of THEIR stupid "protocols", and my responses:
13. NEVER Forget to do research and profiles: Too many ghost hunters don't do the proper research before going out into the field. What they are failing to understand is that good research will only help them with the possibilities of seeing a ghost.
>> How do u figure THAT?!?!?! "Good research" will only fill the researcher's head with pre-conceived notions of what he MIGHT see when/if his imagination takes over. More "proof" is when, for example, you see the ghost of a white-haired old lady in a certain room wearing a certain color dress..........THEN find out that such a woman actually died in that room!
19. NEVER Forget to bring food and drinks: It may sound trivial, but you would be surprised how many ghost-hunts have been ruined or have been cut short because of the lack of snacks.
>> Are you there to EAT or HUNT?!???! This is far different than playing a stupid video game in your living room. And, as most "magickal people" know, eating BEFORE a hunt only "grounds" you (& makes you sluggish as your system digests that food), that you are LESS psychic and LESS likely to encounter anything. This isn't from me; it's been known for centuries. *I* follow this rule, and often have spectacular success!
20. ... Also, never go to any place when the weather conditions are bad. Ghost hunts are meant to be fun and it won't be fun if someone gets hurt, has to go to the hospital, or worse.
>>NO! Ghosts are NOT meant to be "fun"! It is quite a serious business, and, if you don't know what you're doing, you can get into trouble. (Like a ouija board). If the only reason you're doing this is because you're "bored" or "looking for thrills", then STOP.You just might find more "thrills" than you ever imagined!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, it's been known for centuries that ghosts tend to be more active during solar/electrical storms, as "they" use the energy that's in the surrounding air. Hence, the stereotype of the "haunted house on a stormy night".
Also, that's what causes "cold spells" -- "they" are taking -- and using -- your energy.
Strike Three! You're OUT! (As an aside, these jerkoffs have even listed this website on their Worst of the Web site! I'm Honored! If a group of shithead like them dislike my site so much, then it HAS to be GOOD!
(After one of them called my Wife a "whore" -- this is the kind of mentality we're dealing with -- i offered to put him in the hospital for about 3 weeks, but there were no takers. They TALK a Big Show, but are all spineless WUSSIES!
Here are some quotes about me, that show their "mentality":
"QUESTION: How many people have fucked Norm's fat assed stank wife?"
"Norm, baby, put a cock in your mouth and shut the fuck up. I don't think his Daddy gave him enough anal when he was growing up. He has to at least be a hermaphrodite because he babbles worse than any cunt I fuckin know".
They sure are a "Class Act"!
The Head Sonofabitch lives here in Florida, just East of me........i PROMISE i'm gonna meet you someday, you motherfucker!
A group of Pagans/Wiccans (of which i am proud to be a member) is in the process of creating a PAGAN ghost hunting group .........without our "Christian baggage" of believing in 'satan', 'demons', and all the boogey-man crap. I truly feel that we would do a MUCH better job than these "scientific groups" -- we'd TRULY balance Spirituality with Science, and, who knows? Perhaps finally achieve something because we'll be trying things that are NOT included in that musty old "protocol".. Plus, with our psychic abilities, we could attact and communicate with these entities because we'll treat 'em as HUMAN SOULS -- not as some sort of "atmospheric phenomena"!
And, we wouldn't have the Screaming Shit Fits every time we hear a "thump". (BTW......my reference to Christianity, above, was NOT meant to be a "slap" at them in ANY WAY......i respect ALL religions. It's just that this faith "programs you" into a belief in the existance (and FEAR) of "monsters, devils, and demons", which tends to limit one....we don't believe in any of that sort of thing. I personally think that makes us more "thorough", as we're not influenced by those fears and are more "focussed" on what's going on.
Well, that's all i can think of at the moment.........i'm sure that i'll be adding more to this article as time goes on......if i've pissed you off, then...........GREAT! Mebbe you'll try something DIFFERENTLY for once, and perhaps make a Major Break-Thru! (And, quite frankly, i don't give a tinker's cuss what anyone thinks of this article. OTHER sites give you THEIR opinions on their stuffy, dusty theories.......on MY site, I give MINE, which are like "fresh air finally blowing thru a decaying mausoleum.............).
Happy Hunting!
Norm