DEMONOLOGY, RESEARCH & THE WARRENS

Ed and Lorraine Warren

50 YEARS Of GHOST HUNTING
And RESEARCH WITH The WARRENS
From The Archives of GHOSTVILLAGE

Interview By: Jeff Belanger
Photographs By: Shannon Hicks





The new television program, PARANORMAL STATE, airing on the A&E network has already seen its share of controversy. And the addition of Lorraine Warren seems to have added fuel to the fire. But as some folks spew what they believe are facts about the Warrens, I thought it pertinent to review what GHOSTVILLAGE CREATOR JEFF BELANGER'S INTERVIEW revealed...

So, from GhostVillage
CREATOR
JEFF BELANGER

I am pleased to present to you Jeff's interview.
But before I begin...
I just want to take a moment to THANK ED & LORRAINE for ALL that they have done!!!!!!
GODSPEED ED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOD BLESS LORRAINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


50 YEARS Of GHOST HUNTING And RESEARCH WITH The WARRENS

Spirits, hauntings, vampires, werewolves, demons and devils are all part of the Halloween tradition—but for Ed and Lorraine Warren of Monroe, CT it's been their living for almost 50 years. I caught up to the Warrens at their Occult Museum in Monroe recently and talked with Ed Warren about where the Warrens met, their religious and spiritual beliefs and how they became the world-renowned ghostbusters that they are today.

Since 1952 the Warrens have been the directors of the New England Society for Psychic Research and to date they have investigated over 4,000 hauntings. The goal of the N.S.P.R. has been to share information with other groups who are investigating the same type of phenomenon and to help people that are plagued by the supernatural.

The Warrens were the psychic investigators for the Amityville house and they also wrote a book called The Haunted based on a Pennsylvania family who came under diabolical possession—the book was made into a TV movie on Fox and according to Ed Warren the movie takes no dramatic license, it was portrayed very accurately.

A few years ago Cardinal O'Conner of New York had publicly stated that three cases of diabolical possession going on at the time and that exorcism was going to be performed. The news media jumped on it and it was the Warrens who investigated all three cases.

Ed Warren is one of 7 religious demonologists, the other six are all priests and Ed is the only lay demonologist in the country. Ed acquired the title by his work with the church.

How the Warrens Got Started
Ed Warren grew up in a haunted house from the time he was five until he was 12. “My father, who was a police officer at the time would say, “Ed, there's a logical reason for everything that happens in this house,” but he never came up with that logical reason. I'll give you an example:

“My family would go to bed and just around two o'clock, three o'clock in the morning, many times I would hear the closet door opening up. I'd look into that closet and see darkness, then I'd start to see a light starting to form and it went into like a ball shape sort of like a basketball and then I'd see a face in that ball—they call that a ghost globule—I didn't know what it was then. It was the face of an old lady, and she was not looking pleasant—the ball came out into my bedroom and I could hear footsteps and heavy breathing, the room became icy cold, that's a psychic cold—and I'm saying to myself, “There's a logical reason for all of this,” but by that time I was out of the bed and right between my mother and father in their bed.”

When Ed was 16 years-old he worked as an usher at the Colonial Theatre in Bridegport and it was there that he met Lorraine. “Lorraine and her mother used to come every Wednesday night,” Ed remembered. “So I'd see her coming in and we started talking and became friends. I was 16 at the time and she was 16, one night I walked her home and asked her for a date—and that's how it started.”

Ed Warren went into the Navy on his seventeenth birthday and four months later, after his ship sank in the North Atlantic he was home for 30-day survivor's leave. It was during that leave that the two were married.

When Ed returned after the World War II he and Lorraine had a daughter and Ed went to Perry Art school which is a subsidiary of Yale for about two years. “I got fed up with that,” Ed said. “I told Lorraine one day, “You know, I can paint better than these instructors. What they're teaching me is a lot of Geometry and a lot of nonsense that I don't need for painting.” I said, “We'll have some fun.

“I bought this car for $15 dollars which I still have in the yard. It's a 1933 Chevy Eagle—deluxe. The guy gave me two wheels with it. I had to pay him off on time—five dollars a week. I said to Lorraine, “You know, if we go up to the new areas where they're opening up for tourists like Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire—I'll bet I can take a bunch of my paintings and put them out there when people are walking by and we'll sell some.”

And the Warrens did have fun, “We were making a fantastic living, selling the paintings for fabulous prices—three dollars, four dollars. But you've got to remember one thing, hot dogs were a dime, hamburgers were a dime, the theater was a quarter, gas was 18 cents a gallon. So, when you made five dollars on a painting, you were doing pretty good.”

It was through painting that the Warrens began their ghost investigation. If Ed heard of any place that claimed to be haunted, whether a haunted house, a haunted location he would drag Lorraine to check it out. “Oh Ed, there are no such things as ghosts,” Lorraine would tell him. Ed reminded Lorraine of his early days at his haunted house in Bridgeport and Lorraine would go.

But, the way the Warrens got into the haunted houses is especially interesting, “We were just kids nobody was just going to let us in, we were curiosity seekers—we were not the directors of the New England Society for Psychic Research.

“So, I'd go out in the middle of the road where they could all see me and I'd start to sketch the house and you'd see the curtains going back and forth “What's this kid doing?” they would be thinking.

“I would do a really nice sketch of the house with ghosts coming out of it and everything and give it to Lorraine and she'd go knock on the door and with her Irish personality she'd say, “Oh, my husband loves to sketch and paint haunted houses and he made this for you.” I made it special for them.”

So it was through the paintings that the Warrens got themselves into these haunted houses. And then they would talk with the homeowners one-on-one. Basically, Ed just wanted to see if the same things happened to those families that happened to his family.


A possessed doll from the Warren's Occult Museum

Spirits and the Investigations
Ed Warren:
If you look at a fan and it's standing still, you can see the propellers very easily. But, if that fan starts up you can't see anything—it's invisible. Spirits are on that different vibrational field. They're all around us right now but you can't see them. But if you were like Lorraine, you could see them clairvisually, hear them claiaudioally.

I can't. And it wouldn't pay for me to do that because as an investigator people would think I'm a little odd seeing ghosts flying around when they couldn't see anything. So, I have to see it, I have to feel it, I have to hear it, I have to record it before I accept it.

But, mediums and clairvoyants are very necessary to us because they tell us immediately if something is there. I wouldn't know—I could go into a building for a month and not know if there is something really there. I could interview the people, and maybe through my knowledge I could tell if something is there, but the clairvoyant is the draw. The spirits are drawn to a medium/clairvoyant like a moth is drawn to a flame.

Many times we use three or four clairvoyants in one place. We take them into a house one-at-a-time, they don't know where they're going, what the case is about, etc. And if they all tell me the same thing, that they see a woman spirit in a certain room or a man or a child, then I know that we're on the right track.

I do think scientifically, we do have scientists working with us, and I think theologically and scientifically. There are organizations of atheists, so-called skeptical investigators that say, “There is no proof scientifically that God exists, that spirits exist that miracles occur.”

That's ridiculous, there's all kinds of proof. In [the Occult Museum] we have hundreds of items, we have thousands of cases between here and the other buildings out there that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the supernatural exists and the pre-to-natural exists. When I say `pre-to-natural' I'm talking about negative and `supernatural' is positive.

We have filmed the White Lady of Easton. We have filmed poltergeists, attacks on people, ghosts and we have taken many pictures of ghosts.

We work with any clergy that their religion teaches love of God and love of your fellow man. We are not stupid enough to think that because we are Catholics that we are the only religion saved—that's what the problem is with Ireland is today—and a lot of other places. We work with all people of all faiths.

We have thousands of pictures of ghosts. And I'm not talking about filmy ectoplasmic type material, I'm talking about spirits that are as clear as you and I. You ask us for evidence, we'll give you that evidence.

We proved in a court of law in 1989 that a woman and her young child driven out of her house by ghosts. She lived in Hebron, Connecticut. We went into Rockville court and we won the case. The Realtor that leased her the house was suing her for $2,000. She begged us to go into the house and to get some evidence that would prove that there really were ghosts.

Now, you don't walk into a court of law and saw, “Well judge, there was ghosts there.”—You have to have evidence. In any court of law they use photographs, recordings and credible witnesses as evidence—that's what we use. We won the case, we set a precedent here in the United States.

Scientists would say, “you didn't prove a thing, because you didn't take that ghost and put it in a bottle so we can open him up and examine him.” That's stupid. They're saying that scientifically that you have to prove that God exists, that ghosts exist, there is no such thing you can't get scientific in a supernatural world.

So, if we can prove in a court of law that ghosts exist and haunted houses exist I think that's good enough for anyone.


A headstone used as a satanic altar as seen in the Occult Museum


The New England Society For Psychic Research
The New England Society for Psychic was founded in 1952 and the goal at first was to simply investigate hauntings. Then, around 1965 the Warrens went into a home where the spirit of a little girl named Cynthia and they listened to the little child coming through a deep-trance medium and she was looking for her mother. Ed thought to himself, “This is horrible, this little child is earth-bound. She's looking for her mother constantly day in and day out. How do I help this child?”

It was no longer just experiencing the hauntings, now the Warrens wanted to help. The question arose as to where to get the knowledge to help anybody in spirit? Well, who delves into the supernatural? Priests, clergyman, rabbis. Ed started interviewing dozens and dozens of clergyman of all faiths, and would ask them “If somebody called you from your parish and said there was a ghost in the house what would you do?”

Some said, “I tell them to go see a psychiatrist.” Others said, “I'd go to the house and I'd bless it. If the blessing didn't work I'd say a mass, and if the mass didn't work I'd perform the right of exorcism.” But many Catholic priests interviewed didn't even believe there's a devil. And yet all of this material is part of Catholicism's' teaching. It is in the bible, within every ten words you have a psychic word: apparition, ghost, devil, demon, evil—it's all in the bible, everything we talk about.

The N.E.S.P.R. work is based in religion but also uses science. People have said to the Warrens, “Oh God, you go into a house and you look for devils.” And Ed's response, “Your damn right I look for devils, and I look for everything else to. And I have the scientists with me and they're looking for something else and we get together and we talk and straighten the whole thing out. Nobody can bring us into a house and fool us. You couldn't tell us that your house is haunted and get away with it because I'm the biggest skeptic going. I have to see it, I have to hear it and I have to feel it with the pysical sense.”

Medical doctors, researchers, police officers, nurses, college student and house wives are all dedicated members who volunteer their services. The N.E.S.P.R. does not charge for their services and only asks for expenses to be covered.


The Skeptics
People have said, “Ed Warren hides behind his beliefs of Catholicism,” but he claims he uses them, he doesn't hide behind anything. “And I know that [Biblical beliefs] are fact because I've seen and I've heard and I've felt all the things that it talks about.

People have called Ed Warren an eccentric because he believes in devils and demons, “Of course I do,” he replies. “I learned about them as a child and proved they exist as a man—beyond a shadow of a doubt. If you don't want to call them devils and demons call them evil—I don't care what you call them. Religions are man-made, but spirituality isn't.

“From the day's that I went into a haunted house I always wanted media people with me and people condemned me for that. They said, “Ed Warren wants to be written up in newspapers, he wants to have books and movies. He wants to be exposed to the public. You're damn right I do. My whole thought is expose the devil and expose evil. A skeptical public is the best protection that evil has, and I'm going to make sure that I expose that evil anyway I can. People tell us that we get a lot of money for what we are doing here, our money comes very hard through these books and lectures. We don't get any easy money and the money we get we deserve and we don't charge for our services. But if you want us to come to Arizona, we are going to ask you for expenses.”

The Occult Museum
The Occult museum is a collection of artifacts, books, pictures, masks, idols located at the Warrens home in Monroe. Tours are available for $12.50 each and by appointment. The tour takes about two hours.

Ed Warren:
In the Occult museum, there are things that are so dangerous that just in touching them you could be very badly affected. They are the opposite of what you would touch in a church, a holy relic, a cross a statue, the statue, the crosses and relics have been blessed. When a priests blesses a relic or a statue, what he does is to project the vibrations of holiness into the molecular structure of that item.

Things in the museum were used in black witchcraft, magic, sorcery, curses—just the opposite was done. There are many Halloween-type masks—don't let that fool you. This is a smoke screen that sorcerers, Satanist, black witches project—that they're fools. They're not fools at all.

Local Hauntings
The White Lady of Easton has been seen by dozens of people for more than 50 years. Ed Warren has the White Lady on film, she is often seen around the Union cemetery by Route 59 in Easton.

Ed parked his van in Union cemetery and waited with his video recorder. The white lady did materialize and in fact within the last month some local police officers have also caught the White Lady on film.

Ed first recorded the White Lady on September 1, 1990 at 2:40 a.m. “The only light was a street light which was 50 yards from where I was sitting,” Ed recalled. “I heard a woman weeping and I looked out and saw hundreds of ghost lights floating around and forming into a figure of a woman. I couldn't make out facial features but I could see she had long, dark hair and she was dressed in white.

I started to walk towards her and she disappeared. You never walk towards the ghost, you let the ghost come to you because you can change the molecular and magnetic field when a ghost is materializing.

The Warrens receive anywhere from 6 to 12 phone calls a day from around the country and around the world from people looking for help. They regularly give lectures locally and they have published several books on their research and different cases.

To find out more about
New England Society for Psychic Research:
P.O. box 748,
Farmington, CT 06034

Or Visit:
http://www.warrens.net/

To contact the Warrens
write to:
P.O. Box 41
Monroe, CT 06468.


TO VIEW THE ARTICLE IN FULL:
WARREN'S LEGEND
Visit The Archives of GhostVillage
http://www.ghostvillage.com/

YOUR YOUTUBE GHOST CLIP OF THE WEEK - Waverly Hills Sanitarium

After a less than impressive demonstration of "shadow people?", the tour guide instructed a tour member to walk toward something that we guess only he could see. As the guy walked backed towards us we did not notice anything out of the ordinary until we played back the tape. As we are taping there is a flash of light that when slowed down appears to take "form". Also farther down the hall another object is visible which appears to move independently of the object closest to us. The object in the video is moving extremely fast so
we have slowed the video down 50% and then to frame by frame. We are making no claims about this video but it is definitely interesting. Take a look and see for yourself

YOUR YOUTUBE EVP OF THE WEEK - Angel Choir EVP Real?

Added: August 31, 2007
http://hauntedtavern.proboards83.com/...

I was reading up about spirit voices caught on tape recorders and came across this "EVP" (Electronic Voice Phenomena) that suggests its a recording from the spirit world. The people who recorded the E.V.P Marcello Bacci and Mark Macy are professional ITC paranormal researchers. Some say it is an angelic choir. There was no one in the room other than the two, and no way music or sounds from anywhere else could have been picked up on the sound recorder. They have many more strange voices on tape, but I found this one the most interesting, I am not saying that I believe it, but its certainly intriguing, as I know about these researchers, and they are very honest and professional.

Angels are always associated with music, being the harp connection, and trumpets, and singing. Do you believe that this following E.V.P is a angelic choir?

http://www.worlditc.org/

PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS - FAQ'S - CREATE YOUR OWN DREAM TEAM

Great Archangel Michael
Archangel, defend us in battle,
be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the
devil.

May God rebuke our enemies, we humbly pray; and
do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of
God, thrust into Hell the Adversary and all other evil
spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of
souls.
Amen.





PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS - FAQ'S -
CREATE YOUR OWN DREAM TEAM

As we wind down our Series on Paranormal Investigations, I thought it would be neat to have a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions.

Having founded 6 Cents Investigations in 2005, I have learned thru both trial and error many of the mishaps of investigations. Sometimes, you might have personality clashes or strong differences of opinion as to HOW To investigate. If you joined in on some investigations, and it or the group in general, has left you with a negative experience...

*REMEMBER:
YOU HAVE OPTIONS

Consider beginning/founding your OWN group.
Now, while YOU may get to make many of the decisions... YOU will also find that you will need time to establish yourself and your team....
Develop YOUR reputation as a paranormal investigator/s.

It's always a great idea to develop *relationships* with other Teams for networking purposes.
I also believe that some teams, while having vastly different investigations styles, can actually compliment eachother quite nicely.

For example, a team made up of mostly scientists and techies can benefit from a team with Sensitives and/or Mediums, and vice versa. It is in my opinion, that you are more likeley to obtain results and evidence when a Medium is present. I believe that Ghosts/Spirits draw ENERGY from the Medium and this in turn helps that being to manifest. Also, Mediums quite often will sense the presence of different Astral Beings and can point photographers (or their own camera) in that direction.

For me a PARANORMAL DREAM TEAM would be 2 very different styles merging together.
An example of this in the paranormal media would be GHOSTHUNTERS (TAPS) and England's MOST HAUNTED. I would be very curious to view evidence gathered after such an investigation!

HOW SMALL... IS TOO SMALL????
If you have had NO luck in your area finding or resonating with a team then I suggest you CREATE your own. But as I have stated many times, DO YOUR RESEARCH first!!!!
Approach this as you would any other science. Go out with at least 1 other person.

DON'T ASSUME EVERTHING IS OR IS NOT PARANORMAL.....
By golly, PLEASE be prepared and/or open to the idea that you could be confronted with something nasty and unseen. Read about famous, documented cases, before you conduct your own investigations. I also HIGHLY suggest reading HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL by Malachi Martin.
In my opinion, there is very GOOD reason for people to be wary of the paranormal.
You don't have to BELIEVE it but YOU SHOULD be AWARE...
And there's a difference between the 2.

FOOL'S RUSH IN
There's a very fine line between AWARENESS and being AFRAID.
It is certainly NOT my intention to scare you. But I would be remiss if I did not make you aware of the totality of what is involved and potentially at stake in paranormal investigations. I hope that makes sense. I don't ask you to believe in or embrace EVERYTHING that I do...
I only ask that you fully EDUCATE yourself so that you can make INFORMED decisions.

WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
One last thing...
PLEASE consider PRAYER before doing ANY types of investigations.
Honestly, what could it hurt???


GHOST INVESTIGATIONS 101 - FAQ'S

Adapted from:
LIST OF EQUIPMENT TO BRING
by Christine Parks

Your equipment can be as simple as a compass, basic thermometer, standard tape recorder with an external microphone and your basic 35mm camera and get the same results as someone who has an EMF meter, digital thermometer, digital recorder and fancy cameras.

Basic Starter Equipment List:

35mm Camera -
For trying to capture orbs, figures, mists, etc. and aids in documenting the investigation site and details.
Can be a disposable or a $30 instant camera.
Just a simple point and shoot will do just fine.
Remove straps and pull back hair
For best quality and results, don't forget tripods!

35mm Film -
Most ghost hunters carry two cameras; one loaded with each. Always buy good quality film!
400 to 800 speed
Black and White Film
Infrared Film-more expensive and must be kept cool.

Thermometer -
Drops in temperature are a common occurrence when a ghost is present. Spikes in the temperature are possible but not as frequent.
Your standard indoor/outdoor mercury thermometer may be slower but will work fine.
No batteries to replace or worry about dying during an investigation.

Compass -
A compass will react to any magnetic or electrical stimuli that are reported in haunting cases.
Also great for navigation.
No batteries to replace or worry about dying during an investigation.

Audio Recorder with external microphone & NEW Cassette Tapes -
This is for recording noises or voices that are inaudible at the time to human ears and making verbal notes.
You can pick one up at Wal-Mart or Radio Shack starting around $10.00
Always make sure you use new tapes, never record on an old tape!
Always make sure you use a separate external static free microphone.

Flashlights / Candles / Glo Sticks -
Depending on group preference, a red lens or red cellophane is used to prevent damage to light sensitive equipment such as camcorders with nightshot and to preserve the human eyes "night vision"
Candles can be used, but may be unreliable due to weather.
Glo sticks are safe and you don't need to worry about battery drain.
Never leave candles unattended, they may cause fire!

Batteries -
Batteries and lots more batteries for every piece of equipment you bring!

Notebook & Pens/Pencils -
Keep Case Notes, log records of events and personal journal information.

Wristwatch -
Logging records of events and durations of an occurrence.

Cell Phone -
Safety of your group should always be your number one concern!

*EDITORS NOTE - Cells are also extremely handy for organizing your hunt, and if people get separated before, during or after an investigation.

Area Map (If Possible) -
Always know the area and mark any areas that may be a safety hazard.

Identification -
In case the police show up and question your actions.

After you have gone on several investigations and decide that you are ready to invest more money and time into your new hobby, your equipment list will grow depending on areas that you are more interested in.

The Advanced Equipment List is the same as above plus a few added items that can range in price depending on the options you desire. The following items are not required but are nice to have on hand during and investigation.

More Advanced Equipment List:

Digital Camera -
For trying to capture orbs, figures, mists, etc. and aids in documenting the investigation site and details.
Great because you can see the pictures right away and have endless amount of picture taking ability.
Great money saving tools; just keep in mind that the pictures taken with them may not be considered hard evidence due to the lack of negatives.

Thermometers -
Indoor/Outdoor Digital thermometers and Infrared Thermal Scanners are the high tech ways to pin point abnormal cold or hot spots in the area.

Indoor/Outdoor Digital -
thermometers are better for using on the outdoor investigations. You can also get one that measure humidity as well.
Both are definitely something that you must work with before using in the field.

EMF(Electro-Magnetic Field) Detectors -
These devices can pick up electronic and magnetic fields over different frequencies.
Can be found relatively cheap, ranging from $25 to $200

Geiger Counter -
This is a very technical and expensive piece of equipment that requires special training to operate correctly. It reads the amount of radiation around us all the time
The price will vary depending upon the range reading abilities and accuracy of the model.

Expect to pay $100 to $1000. Used models can sometimes be purchased for less then $50at army surplus stores or online auction sites.

Night Vision Equipment -
This equipment is a fairly new tool to the ghost hunter.
You can get a very good scope for around $250

There are also adapters (under $30) that will attach the night vision scope directly to a video camcorder.

Two-Way Radios -
Safety of your group should always be your number one concern!
If your group must split up, it is a good idea to have these incase someone falls, needs assistance from others in the group or has lost their way in the dark.

Depending on the investigation (use your better judgment) a few additional items could be packed...

Optional Items to Consider:

Tape Measure (12 to 50 feet)
White Ball of String (100 feet)
Scissors and/or Knife
Drawing Paper or Sketch Pad
Chalk (white or colored to mark areas)
Cotton Balls (to put in windows and doorways to determine movement)
Talcum powder (to put on the floors to detect movement)
Liquid Level Ruler (to determine slanted areas)
First Aid Kit

TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE & VIEW
Documentaries, Video, EVP, Television Clips, Radio Clips, Message Boards,
And MUCH more:
http://www.ghosthounds.com/content-11.html]GHOSTHOUNDS

As a final note, I truly hope this Series on the PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR has helped answer some of the questions you wanted to ask but were unsure who to ask or where to look...
MY VERY BEST to you ALL!

BE SAFE
BE CALM
BE AWARE

Photo Guardian Angel / ghost with my Nan! DO YOU SEE IT????

This is a photo of my nan and her guardian ange...
(more)
Added: February 04, 2008
This is a photo of my nan and her guardian angel. Some say it has the shape of Holy Mary. A few months after this photo she passed over and it wasn't until then that I noticed an image in the top right hand corner above her head. It is a bright glowing light on a cotton pillow cover. It reassures me and I share for the sake of sharing :-)

Music By Bliss
"Hundred Thousand Angels" http://www.blissfulmusic.com/

CHECK IT OUT - YOUTUBE - Japan Ghost girl

Translated for me:
The old furniture was given to the baby's mother from her friend. This is what the narrator says at the end.

YOUR YOUTUBE EVP OF THE WEEK

PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS - GUIDELINES -

THE BARE BONES OF ASTRAL SOCIAL WORK

ADAPTED FROM:
How to Conduct a Safe Ghost Hunt
By: Brandy Stark

Everyone will conduct their investigations slightly different...
At this time, to my knowledge we do not have a set of GUIDELINES in place for PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS. So, in my opinion, it's best to consult many different resources, both online and off.
Amongst my paranormal research, I found this article of interest.

"In the modern world, where technology makes so many things explainable; the realm of the supernatural remains one of the last uncharted scientific quadrants. Ghosts, with their cross cultural and historical allure, are an easy supernatural target to research. What neighborhood does not have a house reputed to be haunted? With the advent of more accessible and cheaper tools and gadgets almost anyone can hunt ghosts. However, even advanced technology does not ensure human safety on a ghost hunt, common sense and reasoning does.

If ever confronted by a supernatural entity, the first reaction MUST be to REMAIN CALM. Always remember that the living have more power than the dead. YOU are in control of yourself and the situation.

*THIS MAY SEEM OBVIOUS...
BUT YOU WOULD BE AMAZED HOW MANY FOLKS FLEE!!!

Several sources, both psychic and scientific, have recommended imagining yourself surrounded by an impenetrable white light bubble of mental/spiritual energy. While this may sound rather unusual, it is supposed to offer the living protection. Regardless of whether the bubble is actually drawing sustenance from an unknown energy or not, it is a method to help focus the mind, boost confidence, and offers the living a means of defense against the unknown.

*I personally take it a step further...
Asking each member to, either silently or aloud say a prayer of THEIR OWN FAITH for PROTECTION.
I ask you honestly to consider...
What could it hurt?
What could it help?

Before going on a ghost hunt try to get some of the local history of the area. Building records are available for a small fee from most City Halls. Try to ask about the building and see if any other research has been done on the area.

*YES! YES! YES!
This is FANTASTIC advice.
You will be amazed at the potential of filling in any gaps in the investigations...

Always hunt in a group. This serves two purposes: one is to offer more eyes to witness a situation. The other is to offer more eyes to look out for one another. Pay attention to your own situation and offer verbal warnings to other teammates to avoid potentially unsafe locations.

Have different members of your team bring cameras, preferably 35 mm cameras. Black and White, infared, and color film are recommended for a ghost hunt, with a minimum speed of 400. Some may want to bring extra film in case of extreme manifestations. Digital cameras can also be used on a ghost hunt, though they may be subject to different forms of glare. Camcorders are also recommended to assist documentation of the hunt as well as offering another type of medium to pick up ghostly images. Try to avoid bringing Polaroid cameras as a common tendency is to blow on, move, or shake the film to help it develop faster which can leave marks on the film. Thumb impressions and fingerprints can also add images to the film.

*I think DIGTAL CAMERAS are a MUST...
If you are seriously investigating and searching for evidence, as opposed to just taking up a hobby.

To avoid unwanted images, check for streetlights and passing cars outside of the hunt location. Always have one person at a time taking a photograph. Stray flashes can appear as orbs on film. Have several different cameras take the same picture of one location, particularly if it has unusual readings. Compare developed pictures for images and similarities. If any group member smokes, tell them not to while on the hunt. The smoke from the cigarette causes a mist like form to appear on film. Also beware of the camera strap, for it makes a vortex like image on the film. Make sure it's always out of the way of your picture.

If possible, try to investigate the area during the day so that you may become more familiar with the layout for the ghost hunt. If the owner or employee of a location is monitoring the ghost hunt explain to them the procedures of the hunt, why they are being preformed, and what the results mean. This helps keep outsiders more at ease and will allow the investigation to flow more smoothly.

*I agree with this 100% and ALWAYS conduct some of the investigation during the day light. I also think it is wise to visit a location at different times of the day to see how the light casts different shadows, etc...This way you are less likely to make an unintended false identification.
Next, always wear sensible shoes. Comfortable shoes are always essential because ghost hunts usually entail a lot of walking around. Make sure shoes have good traction to help secure your footing when crawling through attics or scrambling around a bush.

Sensible clothing is also recomended. Jeans or pants are preferable; it's harder to scratch, scrape, or bruise skin that is not directly exposed to the environment. Clothes should offer a good amount of room for movement, however. Reaction time can be essential in a ghost hunt should any intruments register potential paranormal powers or should a ghost be sited.

Bring a very strong flashlight. Many ghosts hunts take place at night. Strong lighting is not always available. Flashlights also help to see into those dark and hidden places along a trail or in a home. Heavy duty flashlights are preferable, though they can be bulky and tiresome to carry. One option is to have different members of the team bring different types of flashlights from hand-held to heavy duty. Always bring more than one flashlight and spare batteries with you.

*I'd say BRING LOTS OF SPARE BATTERIES!

Members of the team shouldn't wear perfume or cologne, for it may distract the other team members, and/or mask the scent a ghost might be giving off.

Electromagnetic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) is a newer method of ghost research. It entails bringing a blank tape never before used, and leaving it to record in a haunted area. A ghost investigator can ask questions to a ghost and pause to allow the ghost to answer, or a ghost hunter can invite the ghost to speak freely and leave the tape recorder recording as all others leave the area. By leaving the tape recorder this alone, this removes the possibilities of human tampering, of the recorder picking up stray sounds and whispers. It can also be used to determine if a noise is supernatural or natural in origin ( i.e., if the ghostly knockings heard by the residence are really the furnace turning on, etc. ).

Adding a first aid kit to your ghost hunting kit is also a god idea. Ointment and bandages should always be available just in case an accident does happen to you or a member of your crew.

Never enter a place marked "no trespassing" without permission. Avoid going to condemmed sites and areas that are "banned" to the public.

Leave a copy of the address where you and your team are ghost hunting and an approximate time to expect the teams return with a reliable person who is not on your ghost hunting team. A list of names and phone numbers of team members might also be a benefit in case of a large-scale emergency. If one or more members of a team are injured, or the team becomes lost and disoriented, this outside person will be available to locate the authorities and launch a search. Granted, this happens rarely, if ever, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. This is a simple percaution to take.

If you're attempting a ghost hunt in a cemetery, you may also wish to alert police to your presence. Also, be respectful to graves; try to avoid stepping on them or damaging any properties.

It may be advisable to remain within reach of a telephone or cell phone. If you bring a cell phone make sure it's turned off unless theres an emergency. Ringing cell phones can cause distractions during hunts, interviews, to other people on the team, and possibly the ghost itself! Active cell phones can also effect the readings of the EMF ( electromagnetic field ) meter.
Take along with you paper and pencils to document the ghost hunt. Take down times, dates, members who you're with, the area your exploring, etc.

Despite this list of tips, ghost hunting usually is not a dangerous *sport* if you pay attention and keep your mind focused on the surrounding area. However, always be prepared for an emergency, and have a plan worked out in advance with your teammates in case an injury does occur. Good luck, and safe and happy hunting!

*Well for me, it's not hunting, sport, or a game ...
It's more like being an Astral Social Worker!!!...LOL...


About Brandy:
Brandy Stark is one founder of a St. Petersburg-based ghost hunting group. She has been interested in ghosts since childhood and culminated her interest into a series of articles which have been published in Bayside News, and on Psychic-Tymes.com A recent graduate of the university of South Florida's Religious Studies Master's program, she devoted her academic studies to researching the role of ghosts through ancient religions.

Mission Statement and Origin:
We are the S.P.I.R.I.T.S. of St. Petersburg. We are Servicing Paranormal Investigators Reporting Information Through Study.

What we use: EMF meters, temperature sensitive gauge, black and white film, color film 400 speed, tape recorders, digital cameras, and video recorders.


TO VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE:
http://wintersteel.homestead.com/Information.html

YOUR YOUTUBE GHOST CLIP OF THE WEEK

Ghost seen on the road...

DEMONS AND THE GHOSTBUSTER....JUST IN THE MOVIES???

Put on the whole armor of God.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities,against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand."
Ephesians VI:11-13


DEMONS & THE GHOSTBUSTER...Just in the movies???


The nature of demons and the devil himself (itself) have been a thorny topic for centuries....
Many people have very strong opinions on the matter to this day!!! Some believe that evil, demons and the devil have only as much power as the thought put into them. I personally, believed this for many years. It's a popular "new age" ideal as well.

On the other hand, there are just as many folks that are convinced that evil does indeed exist, as does the devil. In fact, some will tell you that the devil is everywhere and that the biggest secret the devil ever got away with was making peolple think he doesn't exist.

It may surprise some of you to know that HOMER described GODS & DEMONS often interchangeably. PLUTARCH speaks of "human souls as commencing, first heroes, then demons, and afterward as advancing to a more sublime degree." PHILO of BYBLUS seems to draw from this same tradition when he states that, "The most ancient of the barbarians, especially the Phoenicians and Egyptians, from whom other people derived this custom, accounted those the greatest gods who had found out things most necessary and useful in life -- and had been benefactors to mankind."

Some historians through the ages have believed there have been spikes of marked intensity of DEMONIC influence upon the earth. They saw these as cycles and explained many of societies problems & suffering on the influx of DEMONS. These time periods include: the destruction of Jerusalem; the fall of Rome; and the French Revolution. One would imagine they would have included many occurences of the 20th & 21st centuries, such as World War II, HITLER & the NAZI'S, to name just a few.

Long before Judeo-Christian ideas of Demons existed, there were other societies and peoples with their very own notions & thoughts about demons. DEMONS are still widely believed in today by Christians and non-Christian alike. It seems as though, ever since mankind changed or shifted, if you will, their awareness into the idea that the experience of negativity could indeed be EVIL personified, there has been great effort to control these universal DARK forces. Call it EXORCISM, etc...It's our human attempt to liberate ourselves from EVIL. DARKNESS, & DEMONS.

*Adapted From the Book:
The Complete Book of
THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLES


So what then, are the esoteric defintions for evil and demons? Well of course that depends on your source but for our purposes I will use the:

The Donning International
Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary
June G. Bletzer ~ 1986


1. A neutral energy in the form of an activity or object that the beholder interprests to be bad or sinful
2. Puposeful inaccuracies of life activity, man-made decisions about another individual's evolutionary growth experience; one unfolding in his or her own path according to their own speed, but in accord to another persona's lifestyle or opinion
3. God fufillment in a dormant state
4. A name used to designate a step in evolution for growth that one does not approve of, nor feel compatable with at that time
5. Imperfect intelligence; ignorant actions
6. Manifestations of mixed consciousness; evil is not, it is in the mind
7. Graduations of good; scale of evil depends upon contemporary mass belief system
*Afterall, Vlad the Impaler was a HERO in his time .

8. Duality of balance, method of checking balances of polarity; bad opinionated experiences are necessary to understand and appreciate good opionated experiences
9. Evil is not real, as it is destructable and can be converted into good energies (good is indestructable)
10. Opposite aspects of the one energy, necessary to produce power and manifestations [cf. LAW OF POLARITY Appendix 7, GOOD, NEGATIVE THOUGHT]

LAW OF POLARITY-
A state of repulsion and attraction and balancing of NEGATIVE (female) and POSITIVE (male) energies of primordial essence, necessary to make thousands of VIBRATIONAL FREQUENCIES in the entire COSMOS under the direction of mind activity. The way a CONSTRUCT reacts to a magnetic or electrical field manifesting 2 opposite tendencies, positive and negative. Everything can be split into 2 complete opposing principles and each contrasting principle will contain the potential of the opposing principle; e.g., in life is the seed of death. [cf. LAW OF OPPOSITES]

DEMON-
An intelligence in the etheric world, low or (new) on the evolutionary scale, therefore its lifestyle appears to be evil or ignorant; capable of communicating with mankind, or being manipulated by them OR manipulating them, which ends in harm to people or their worldly situations; a soul-mind who pursued inferior activites in physical life, now abides in the lower plane and haunts man.

The ancient Greek misconception that an ugly person has an ugly soul is almost as tricky & foul, as the Devil himself. Unfortunatley, over time this has led many of the literary greats and artists to portray DEMONS as particlarly vulgar and gross. Many of the ideas for these descriptions & renderings came from the monsters of ancient mythos from around the world. Borrowed from the classical monsters, there likenesses included: bats, birds, bulls, centaurs, dogs dragons, goats, lions, satyrs, and serpents.

SPECIES of DEMONS
as Described by Alphonse de Spina (1467)

Fates, who alter destiny
Poltergeists, who cause mischief
Incubi and Succubi, who stimulate lust and perversion
Marching Hordes, who bring about war
Familiars, who assist witches
Nightmares, who disturb sleep through bad dreams
Demons formed from Human Semen
Disguised Demons
Demons who Assail the Saintly
Demons who Instigate Witchcraft

YOUR YOUTUBE GHOST CLIP OF THE WEEK

While I find this footage compelling...
I am left wondering WHY the camera was not fixed on the child sleeping. It is possible they were hearing the door opening and closing and that's why the camera is aimed in that direction. What do YOU think??? Don't FORGET to VOTE!