Friday, December 31, 2010

Are Ghosts Real?



This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com

Are ghosts real? That is likely one of the most common questions asked when I'm doing a talk or hosting a workshop or gathering research for my writing. Are ghosts real?

I think it would be prudent to define "real" for the sake of this discussion and the subsequent mumblings of the skeptics. As close to the definition as we can get, considering the topic.

If someone sees a ghost and tells another person they saw something, regardless of how much one might want to believe someone, it still comes down to hear-say and the listener is left to decide if it's to be believed.

If two people see the same apparition or entity, then we have some corroboration and can move forward with more of a solid belief in what they tell us.

People want to believe. Not only would proof positive give them a confirmation of life after death, but would cement those who have a deep faith in the power of the soul. None of us want to believe that this is all there is. That life ends with our last breath. That we are nothing more than memories from that point on. Proof of the existence of ghosts lets our human nature be at ease, knowing that we have more to come.

Peoples' concept of what is real is generally based on their own experiences. Some of us have a regular interaction with those who have died. My gift (sometimes-curse) is clairaudience. I hear the dead. I hear their sometimes near-constant talking. I have a habit now of covering my ears when I get ready to sleep, the chatter can be so loud.

Those who have had first hand experience with ghosts and the breezes, chills, touches, whispers, movement, rearranging and clattering they can cause, are sure of our experience. It's undeniable once you've had interaction with that kind of energy, although many choose to deny it until their next encounter.

Skeptics love to cling to the "science" of disbelief. They love to denounce the existence of spirits and entities, because it makes their narrow view of life acceptable to them. God forbid someone should actually believe what they see with their own eyes, hear with their own ears and experience first-hand. Suspending disbelief is a practice that comes into play when we open ourselves to new and fresh experiences.

Are ghosts real? Yes, at least in my reality.

2009 © GhostHaunts.com J Scheffler


Actress Sharon Tate Saw Her Own Ghost



by Linda Preston

This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com


Many celebrities in Hollywood claim to have seen ghosts and some add that their own home is haunted.

Ghostbuster actor Dan Ackroyd admits to being unnerved by spooky goings-on in his home which had previously been owned by Mama Cass Elliot, one time member of the 60's cult group Mamas and Papas. He has been stated as saying 'A ghost certainly haunts my house. It once even crawled into bed with me. I rolled over and just nuzzled up to whatever it was and went back to sleep. The ghost also turns on the Stairmaster and moves jewelry across the dresser. I'm sure it's Mama Cass because you get the feeling it's a big ghost'.

Heartthrob actor Hugh Grant is said to have heard the ghost of actress Bette Davis sobbing and moaning as it moves through the luxury apartments of the Los Angeles Colonial Building where she used to live.

The late comedy actress Lucille Ball is also said to haunt her old home at North Roxbury Drive; windows have been mysteriously broken, furniture moved of its own accord and shouting has been traced to the attic rooms.

But the most disturbing of all Hollywood haunting tales has to be that of the beautiful 60's actress, the late Sharon Tate, who was murdered by the so called 'Manson-family' She actually saw her own ghost!

The heavily pregnant young actress was staying at a luxury rented mansion in Hollywood, whilst her film producer husband Roman Polanskii was away in Europe. It was there she had the unnerving experience of seeing two ghosts! It occurred one evening as she was resting in her bedroom and she saw the specter of what she described as a 'creepy little man' She recognized him immediately as the former owner of the house, Paul Burn, a theatrical agent who had shot himself in an upstairs bathroom following the break-up of his marriage to actress Jean Harlow. Tate fled screaming from the bedroom, only to be immediately confronted by her own ghost at the foot of the stairs. She described seeing the spirit of a woman who was tied to a pillar with her throat cut. She had strangely had a glimpse of her own horrific fate at the hands of her killers. She was found in exactly this position following the attack by Manson gang. Her hysterical screams could not be quieted for some time.

If she had acted upon her amazing foresight - her name would not be sadly forever linked with the terrible events that happened in the mansion shortly afterwards.


A Commonsense Guide to Exorcism

This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com

Bloodshot eyes stared at the crucifix six inches from his nose. Leather restraints lined with lamb’s wool fastened his arms and legs to the chair. The demon-possessed man lunged at the hand holding the holy symbol. Gnashing teeth struggled to bite the outstretched wrist.

Crimson scratches and cryptic markings appeared across his belly. Blood and sweat spattered the floor around the brute, while a puddle of urine under his chair slowly spread out until the priest could no longer avoid standing in it. The satanic beast chewed his tongue and the tender flesh inside his cheek. His tortured mouth spit blood and tissue and obscenities at those attending the exorcism.

What we have here is a Hollywood-embellished, grotesque superstition at work.

What happened to cause rational people to accept this archaic remnant of religious authority’s attempt to control the masses with fear? Frightened followers submit under scare tactics of hellfire and damnation. This is doubly effective because the authorities believe in what they are telling the people. They too fear the evil entities brought to life by their imagination.

Why are we so vulnerable to this indoctrination? Because all souls are encoded to seek God. We begin our life on earth with a "god-shaped hole" in our soul. God puts it there so we will want to find our way back to Him.

We spend our lives trying to fill the “empty spot.” We pack it with lovers, religion, money, drugs, work, excitement, gambling, etc. None of these fits, so we’re soon on the search again looking for love, for attachment, for distraction, and for fulfillment.

In the older religions from Abraham through Jesus Christ and Mohammed, the lower nature of humans was referred to as demons, devils, and Satan. These are allegorical names for turning away from God and goodness.

The pure teachings of the Messengers of God never suggested that demons, devils, Satanic powers, or fallen angels are anything other than allegory. The Church and Hollywood borrowed their concepts and descriptions of these entities and their work from Dante’s “Inferno” written over 700 years ago during the European Dark Ages.

Family traditions, religious teachings, television, movies, and books instill the belief in demons, devils, and possession. When someone in authority tells a person that they are possessed by a demon, most believe it. Traditions, television, movies, and books show people how a demon-possessed person is supposed to act. Psychogenic purpuras is the medical term for stress related bruising and bleeding from the skin and mucosa. It’s common in cases of great emotional stress. It’s “super hives.” Exorcisms are created for these man-made demons.

As cultures progress, they recognize the absurdity surrounding religious superstition and dogma. Today we understand that the Greek and Roman mythological gods were a phenomenon of that age, and our enlightenment invests less and less fear in imaginary devils and demons. Education shines its light in the dark corners of the mind. A culture’s fear of demons is in direct ratio to the education of its people.

Fear of an overwhelming power of evil is a learned fear. It is taught in order to control the behavior of people. Religious belief and spiritual authority without the influence of science is superstition. In the same way that Galileo was excommunicated from the church for saying that the earth was not the center of the universe, people are controlled by a belief in demons and demonic possession.

Some religions have become the stronghold of superstition. I have attended both a voodoo service and a holy roller church service. The physical actions appeared the same. The guttural gibberish sounded the same. They both had people rolling on the floor in a state of spiritual “ecstasy,” and they both teach demonic possession.

We live in a world of great scientific discovery, a world of brain science and neurotransmitters. Why to you think the chemical lithium can exorcise a demon? Why can PCP unleash a demon? If you look at demon possession clinically, you will find schizophrenia, psychoses, Tourettes Syndrome, alcoholism, drug addiction, etc.

Where a belief in demons is strongest, incidents of possession are strongest. This is commonsense, folks. People, who fear demons, find demons to fear. People, who worry about demon possession, find demons to possess them. People, who imagine demons are lurking and waiting for a chance to pounce upon them, get pounced upon.

People, who understand the psychological impact of superstition and fear, know that they are fully in charge of themselves, and they are never possessed by mythical demons. People, who know that old houses creak, squirrels make nests in the attic, and underground caverns cause infrasound vibrations are not haunted by demons. Why is that? I think you know the answer.

An evil spirit is nothing more than a bad attitude ... a spirit of hate, a spirit of greed, a spirit of cruelty, etc. And you can choose to replace these with a spirit of joy, a spirit of love, a spirit of giving. These are conscious choices made by a human’s free will. We choose how we think, what we do, and what we say. “The devil made me do it” is a powerful alternative to accepting responsibility for our free will choices and behaviors.

So, how do you exorcise demons? By seeing them for what they are, unhealthy childhood experiences of mental, emotional, or physical abuse. Sick families raise sick children. Sick children raise more sick children. Loving, nurturing environments exorcise demons. Knowledge exorcises demons.



  1. Know that demons are imaginary creations of fears common to man’s lower nature.

  2. Understand that there are no demons with the power to possess you.

  3. In cases of mental illness, seek professional help.

  4. In cases of addiction, seek professional help.

Copyright 2005 Robbin Renee Bridges


6 Ghostly Tips – How to know when your house is haunted



This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com



  1. Does your home have cold spots…areas where there is no evidence of a draft, but you can feel one anyway? Oftentimes, spiritual activity is accompanied by cold wisps of air and chilling puffs against your skin. They can be a barely-noticeable occurrence, or very strong. Goosebumps can result. Pay attention, these can be very tell-tale.

  2. Do the inhabitants of your house hear unexplainable noises, usually in the middle of the night? Barring all possibilities such as pipe air, outside noises, the house settling and other completely rational explanations, these noises can include but are not limited to – whispers, footsteps, thumps and bumps, moans, crying, and laughter, including children, aside from the noise things make being moved. Most standard recorders can pick up these noises. If you have these, listen closely because you may have captured some EVPs as well.

  3. Do your dogs or cats tend to avoid or obsess about a particular location in your home? Animals are extremely sensitive to paranormal occurrences and “vibes”. They will often stare at a particular spot for no specific reason, growl at thin air, flee from nothing and bark at something you can’t see. Sooth the animal and get it to calm down. Take notice of when and where these things happen and see what other signs might be going on. Pay heed to your pets. They’re innocently psychic.

  4. Do you find that friends or family mention feeling a particular way in your home or specific location in the home? Are they spooked at times? Do they talk about nighttime occurrences or feelings they have? Those who don’t live full time in the house will often feel more spirit energy than those living there. We can grow “immune” to the feelings in our own house. Pay attention to what visitors say.

  5. Very common scents that are not usual to your surroundings can indicate some spirit activity. The sense of smell is extremely strong in relation to memory for human beings. We can smell a particular aroma and be taken instantly back to a strong memory we’ve stored that is connected to that smell. Perfumes, flower scents, earthy scents and cooking smells are some of the scents detected in relation to ghostly activity.

  6. Finally, open yourself to the experience of feeling the atmosphere of your own home. Clear your thoughts and breathe deeply, drawing in the ambiance around your house and filtering it through your senses. Does it feel charged with energy? Does it feel as though you’re not alone? Does it feel like there are emotions there that don’t belong to your or other inhabitants? These things all can indicate presences of spirit people and ghostly visitors.


If you find yourself nodding as your read these paragraphs, then once again open yourself to the idea that your house is likely haunted. Keep notes or a journal, with dates and times and details. This can be one of the best ways to backtrack and check on something. Investigate the signs of a haunting, call in ghost groups or simply leave well enough alone and live side by side with your spectral roommates.

Copyright 2007 - J Scheffler


Memories of a Past Life, Stevens Point

A

This report was found on W-FILES.COM


Source: Archive X. Filename "Memories"


Memories of a Past Life

From: Tony


When I was 15 years old, my parents got divorced and my mother, 2 brothers, and I moved from Milwaukee to the small town of Stevens Point. As this was a difficult time for us, and there wasn't much money then, my mother took us for a weekend getaway once to an old unoccupied farmhouse in the country that a friend of hers owned. This begins my story, which I don't often tell because I wouldn't believe it myself if it hadn't actually happened to me.


When we arrived at the farmhouse, the first thing we did was to explore the abandoned buildings on the property. The strange thing that struck us was that nothing at all had been moved out of there. Rusty old farm equipment still resided in the barn, old tools were left lying about, and there was even an extremely old raccoon pelt stretched out by nails to dry, decades ago. (My brother still has this, which to this day is evidence to myself that all of this occurred in reality). Whoever had lived there several decades earlier had left very hastily and took few possessions.


As soon as we entered the house and began taking dust covers off the old furniture, I realized, however illogically, that I knew this place...very well. I began to ask my Mom when we had been here, and she argued with me that we never had.


Undaunted, I walked around the living room and into the kitchen remembering everything, except much newer. Before going into the kitchen, I told her I specifically remember playing with my brother in the woodbin in the kitchen, jumping in and out when we were little, and being yelled at that it was dangerous. "What woodbin?", she asked, and I walked in and pointed it out, but noticed how old and rotted it looked now. I told her how her and Grammy used it to feed the wood burning oven. I continued, running up to the sink yelling that someone had removed the hand pump for the well water. Sure enough, there was a hole in the counter at the edge of the sink where a hand pump could have been mounted.


I went on and on leading my mother through the house, as if taking her on a guided tour, until she was frightened to tears telling me to stop, and that I was scaring her. She kept remarking that we had really never been there before. That's when things got really weird. I turned to her and asked her, completely convinced myself by this flood of memories, if she didn't remember when I was drafted? I told her about having to leave for boot camp and the teary goodbye from my childhood sweetheart, and then returning on leave before being shipped to Europe. I recall clearly painting my bedroom window with a gaudy blue and white barber pole pattern, inside and out, all the way around the window frame and sill, to the dismay of my mother, and promising to come back after the war because I have to, so that I can paint it back the way it was because it looked so awful. My Mom didn't believe me but promised she would if we went into the bedroom that we hadn't yet toured, and see for ourselves. I kept repeating that I'm home, I've finally returned home after all this time.


We went into the bedroom, and my mother turned pale when she saw for herself that the window was painted the barber pole blue and white pattern, but was horribly cracked and peeled from weathering and age. I went pale too, because my last memory came in... "It was World War I, Mom", I explained. "I remember that I wore a brown/green wool-like uniform, with high-top brown boots, and a platter-type helmet. And I remember dying one damp grey day in a trench somewhere in Europe... Mom...I never came home, did I?"


I never believed in reincarnation until then. To this day I've wanted to return to Stevens Point and go to the Public Library and try to find out who I was, at least what my name was.


Keeping Emotions in Check



Article from: taps.com


Written by Al Tyas


Being on a paranormal investigation can be very scary, very exciting, or very boring. No investigation will produce exactly the same emotions. However, a person’s feelings can directly affect the entire outcome of the investigation. This is why I suggest all team members always keep their emotions in check. Sometimes unusual emotions can come out without any realization, or rationalization. Sometimes they can be directly due to the nature of the investigation, but sometimes they can be directly due to the nature of the entity.


Some time ago, I was conducting an investigation with a few other teammates, one of who was on their first investigation. The night was very slow, meaning no activity occurred (yes, this does happen). The new person began to develop quite a negative attitude about being so bored. The excessive whining eventually put a damper on the rest of the group, making us all irritable and annoyed. The result of this became catastrophic. The other agents refused to work with the complainer again, and boycotted any investigation the complainer was on. Eventually this blew up into a major catastrophe with no winner. In other words, one negative attitude eventually hurt several people, with no one right or wrong, just damage. There are times when investigations require a lot of patience and no “action” and if someone cannot handle the slow times they really should not be in this business.


Panic is another emotion to keep in check. Everyone gets scared, and it’s justified. However, the reaction to the fear is what’s important. Although we all see the “Fear” based programs on cable TV, the worst thing you can do is let out a blood curdling scream in a suburban neighborhood at 2 AM. Especially when it was just the family cat that scared the screamer. It’s highly inappropriate at any time, and if someone is that scared of ghosts should they really be looking for them? Just imagine the reaction of the neighbors, the police, fire department and the client when a circus forms on the front of their front lawn all due to one investigator with unsteady nerves doing a bad rendition of Jamie Lee Curtis.


Finally, Sometimes a haunted area will produce unusual feelings simply due to the entity. Sometimes more sensitive people experience unusual feelings being in a haunted place. One time upon leaving a haunted location I felt irrational rage for no apparent reason. It took me two days to get over those feelings. They weren’t aimed at anyone or anything, but I was in an unusually terrible mood. I know two of the five ghosts in that house were quite hostile and angry in life, and I do believe somehow I picked up on that negative energy. Right after that investigation I was very sick with a major cold for about a week. Some professionals say the immune system is directly related to our emotions, so it’s very possible my sudden bad attitude triggered the bad cold. Fortunately I learned, although the hard way, to analyze my emotions more. I have also had people on my team experience extreme sadness with no rational explanation. Twice two different investigators nearly burst into tears with no apparent reason, once in a private home, and once in a battlefield. They just began to feel very sad.


A positive attitude is imperative in a paranormal investigation and if an investigator feels something negative in any way it’s important to let the team leader know exactly what’s going on. A pep talk, a breather or just a change of location may be needed to feel right again. If it lasts for more than a day contact the director, and a good director or founder should know what to do. Just remember if you don’t feel like yourself, there may be a “paranormal” reason.


Al is from Washington D.C. Metro Area Ghost Watchers


Investigation of a house in Stevens Point, done by the SPPI.



Investigation done by the SPPI


Click HERE to hear 2 EVP's captured during the investigation.
Tomahawk, WI


We were notified of a house that had some strange activity going on an hours drive north of Stevens Point. The family’s young daughter, had been seeing dark figures in her younger brothers room. She had asked her mother if they were gonna keep watching her brother as he slept. She described them as a man and 2 young boys, completely black with no faces. The boys were wearing hats similar to baseball caps worn backwards. She would see them occasionally in her brother’s room or the hallway.


Earlier this year, the son started seeing something in his room that scared him. He would run from his room into his mothers arms. He called this thing "Jack Jack". He wasn't sleeping through the night in his bed, so this thing was possibly the culprit. He saw him in his room and the hall outside his room.


During the investigation, we found nothing with our EMF detector. We set up our night shot video camera, used a tape recorder to see if we could find anything. The children were present so I didn't want to let them know what we were doing. While they were in one room I went into the little boy’s bedroom and shut the door. I stood in the middle of the room, with my tape recorder going asking questions. I had a terrible feeling come over me, an overwhelming feeling of fear. I thought about this child feeling this and knew that something had to be done. After finishing my recordings, I took Holy Water and went through every room of the house, commanding any spirits that might be there to leave and not return in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. This isn't the first time I had done this.


The next day I received a call from the mother of the children, she told me that her son had come up to her and was very happy. He told her that he wasn't scared anymore and that "Jack Jack" was gone and wasn't coming back. I asked her if he said how he knew that and she replied 'no'. In the next few days he did mention this a couple more times, saying that "Jack Jack" went Home, and that he was with his mommy now.


There has been no more talk of "Jack Jack" and he has not been frightened of anything in his bedroom.


Intro to EMF Detectors



Article from: taps.com


Written by Brian Harnois


The prime sensory instrument of any ghost investigation is an EMF meter. There are a lot of different kinds of EMF Detectors on the market. In this section, we will discuss the different kinds of EMF detectors, and what their different specifications and features do. The EMF Detector, as used in paranormal investigations, can help on proving (or disproving) that the place you are investigating is haunted.


Most EMF Detectors do range over $100.00, but there are some less expensive models on the market for the novice Paranormal Investigator. As you will see in this section, all EMF Detectors have their own frequency settings. The best thing to do when you buy or use an EMF Detector is to learn the settings, so that when you go on an investigation, you will know whether you are witnessing paranormal activity or if it is something else altogether.


On most standard EMF Detectors, each LED light at the X10 setting represents 1 Milligauss. Many in the paranormal business feel that a reading between 2-8 mG could indicate the presence of something supernatural. Be sure and practice with a meter in your own home so you become familiar with what will cause an indication.


EMF detectors were designed to detect electromagnetic emissions from microwave ovens and high tension electrical wires. EMF detectors alert investigators to the presence of ghosts by measuring electromagnetic distortion in the two to seven milligauss range. The models that come most highly recommended by paranormal investigators are the Trifield EMF Detector and the Trifield Natural EM.


What you are looking for on an EMF Detector in a Paranormal Setting is:



  • A reading as above (could be 2, might be 20 mG) that cannot be explained by a local power source.
  • A reading which changes or fluctuates for no accountable reason. Standing in a room, the reading is 2 mG, then it spikes to 9, and back down to 2.
  • Normal background readings which DROP for no explainable cause can be the indication that something is trying to manifest.
  • To always try correlating the reading with some other phenomena. A cold spot, orbs on film, or even a strange feeling can lend weight to a strange EMF indication.
  • To experiment with different settings and meters. Use different brands and models of EMF meters to see what works for you.



How to use an EMF Detector in a Paranormal Investigation


  • Start by scanning the area you are investigating with a swaying motion that starts from side to side and finish with an up and down motion. Do this in a gentle even pattern. Do not jerk the meter, or move the meter to fast. This will give off a false reading.
  • EMF meters are very sensitive to power sources and will register such things as televisions, stereos, microwaves and power lines. The EMF meter will even register your camera if it is to close to it. The most important thing is to be aware of your surroundings before thinking that you have just detected paranormal activity. The Trifield Natural EMF Meter is an exception to this rule, as it ignores most power sources.
  • Paranormal Activity will usually register in the range of 2.0 to 7.0 milligauss. After eliminating all outside power sources and you are still in the 2.0 to 7.0 range, you are probably detecting some sort of paranormal activity.
  • When you buy a new EMF Detector, make sure you become familiar with it before taking it out on a paranormal investigation. Use the EMF Detector in front of your television, stereo, microwave, etc. and see how it reacts to these electrical sources.
  • When working with an EMF Detector it is best to pair up with someone that is operating a camera. When something is detected, the camera person can be notified and pictures immediately taken.
  • When a hot spot is detected, make sure to document the spot. Do this so that you can recheck these areas later in the investigation. Areas that register activity are usually frequented by spirits.


Be sure to bring extra batteries for your EMF Detector, because they drain fast, and for a long investigation, you want to keep the EMF Detector ready for anything.


Haunting the Ghosts of Church Hill




This article was found at unexplainedresearch.com


By Craig Spychalla

11/04/06 - Portage Daily Register




Church Hill


Chad Lewis, one of the authors of "The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations," included the ghost story of Church Road cemetery in his book. This photo illustration shows the cemetery near dusk. The legend says that a girl can be seen hanging from a tree. While Lewis said he didn't see any ghosts on his visit there, it's stories like this that have made his book so popular that he is doing a sequel, which should be out next October. Local lore may not be the biggest concern with this cemetery, which had a rash of vandalism a few years ago with damaged headstones.


The sun was starting to set behind the trees as the shadows from the tombstones slipped away.


Church Road cemetery is the only thing that exists anymore along this narrow, dead end road. It sits atop a park-like setting in the middle of a wooded area — a place where the last burial looks to have been almost 70 years ago. Most of the gravestones date back to the 19th century.


The long walk up the hill to the St. Michael's Lutheran Cemetery only adds to the local lore that the place is haunted — a Halloween tale that Wisconsin authors and ghost hunters Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk researched and used in their book "The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations."


Church Road is a settlement area in the town of Lewiston between Portage and Wisconsin Dells. Dean Walker, who is a member of the Lewiston Board, said he remembers a church near the cemetery in the 1940s, but it was in disrepair and no longer exists. He believes it was built around the mid-1800s.


"Some of my favorite (ghost stories) are from Portage," Lewis said as he was making his way to Rhinelander for a ghost talk this week.


While several stories from this part of south central Wisconsin made the book, Church Road caught the attention of Lewis.


"If there's any stereotypical (creepy) cemetery — that's it," he said.

The lore claims that a girl can be seen hanging from a tree on the old church cemetery hill. "You can see her hang from the tree and can also hear the rope creaking back-and-forth," Lewis said. When he scouted out the cemetery himself, Lewis said he went during the day to help find anything that would explain the stories. He then returned for a few hours one night and - nothing. No ghost, just a rural cemetery.


In fact, in his 13 years of hunting down ghosts and the paranormal in Wisconsin, Lewis has yet to experience the supernatural himself.




The Hunt


Another ghostly story Lewis checked out in Portage was the Wisconsin Street ghost who
walks the side of the road in a Victorian dress while pushing a stroller. "When people pull over to ask if she needs help, she simply disappears," he said. "A lot of these stories have gone through the communities for years."


Ghost hunting may look exciting on TV, but Lewis and Fisk are not dressed in any "Ghostbusters" uniform, and often the only strange thing they come in contact with is the people telling the stories.


"We investigate everything. From werewolves and vampires to crop circles," Lewis said, adding that it's ghost stories that he hears about the most.


A week ago, Lewis was in Wisconsin Dells for a talk and area residents brought their ghost stories. During October, Lewis and Fisk find themselves in a different community every night talking about the supernatural and checking the stories out themselves. It has become a full-time job for them, and each story leads to another chance that they will actually see something.


Lewis receives about 2,000 e-mails and letters a year from people with supernatural tales, and he responds to each one.


"A lot of people have these stories and have had them for years, but didn't know who to tell them to," he said.


Much of the ghost hunting is actually historical research. Lewis said they try to find out everything about a haunted place before they go there. The actual ghost hunt does involve cameras, video and often recording devices, but Lewis and Fisk have been unable to come up with any hard ghostly evidence.


"I have yet to experience anything that is unexplained. We have captured weird things on video and audio. We've captured (odd images) on camera. When we get the photos back there are weird cloud-like substances not visible to the human eye," he said. "We try to explain a lot of that away."


Listening to white noise, the static on a radio or TV, and hearing voices is something the paranormal hunters have tried, without much luck.


Lewis said it can be like looking for shapes in clouds or hearing things you want to hear.




The Hoax


Soaking in the atmosphere of a good haunting is as big of part of the hunt for Lewis and Fisk as actually seeing something unexplained. They are writers who are providing an adventure to those who read their books.


"We leave it up to the reader to make up their own mind," Lewis said.


One of the best hoaxes Lewis and Fisk were sent on took place in Caryville, a small town in western Wisconsin.


The local lore says that a priest hung himself in a bell tower, but with a little research Lewis found out that never happened.


But research can bring the truth out in a story and add to the creepiness of it. At Little Bohemia Restaurant, in the northern part of the state, it's said a man haunts a bar and restaurant there. While digging up facts, Lewis found out that a man was killed at that location. He died when police opened fire on the restaurant, trying to kill John Dillinger in the 1930s. The innocent bystander's ghost is said to haunt the area.


"The bullet holes are still in (the walls)," Lewis said. "Not only do you get this rich history in Wisconsin, but a ghost story as well."


Even on vacation, Lewis will always pick the room to stay in that has a haunted past. A decade ago, he said, hotels and bed and breakfasts didn't want it known they had a haunted room. But now that he has named many haunted locations in his books they love the attention.


"We're waiting for our kickback from that," he joked.


Lewis and Fisk are currently working on a "Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations" sequel that will be out next October with all new cases.


There are so many cases that Lewis and Fisk often find themselves splitting up in their hunt for up in their hunt for the supernatural. But they still don't go alone. Lewis said there are ghost hunting groups popping up all over the state, and he often has group members join in a hunt.

So, does the ghost hunter believe in what he searches for?


"I didn't when I first started, but I (now) believe in ghosts and stories. But I don't know what they are.


"After 13 years, I'm left with more questions than answers."


There are times when Lewis has taken a psychic with him to check out haunted places, and on a few occasions, the psychic refused to get out of the car when they arrived at the haunting.


"It's spine-tingling," he said.


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Haunted lighthouse? Sherwood Point, Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin



This article is from the www.examiner.com

May 31, 11:41 PM by Cheri Esperon




Sherwood point

Others may write about it, but Northern Alliance of Paranormal Investigators are the only paranormal investigative team ever authorized by the US Coast Guard to investigate this location.


History: Built in 1883 the lighthouse stands atop a cliff nestled in the woods in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin. The following year, Minnie Hesh came from New York to visit her uncle, Lighthouse Keeper Henry Stanley. She stayed on and eventually married William Cochems in 1889. William acted as assistant keeper in the lighthouse until the death of Henry Stanley in 1895. At that time William was named first keeper, in 1889 Minnie was officially named as assistant keeper and joined the ranks of the few women to ever be lighthouse keepers in the US.


William and Minnie lived happily on the bluff, raising their children and tending the light until August 17, 1828. While rising from bed, Minnie collapsed and passed away. William lovingly erected a birdbath in memorial of Minnie, which still stands on the property.




Sherwood point


After Minnie's death, William tended the lighthouse alone until he retired until 1933. Conrad Stram assumed the position of keeper and maintained Sherwood point until 1945. The US Coast Guard maintained the lighthouse until 1983 when Sherwood Point, the last manned lighthouse on Lake Michigan became automated. The lighthouse is still property of the US Coast Guard and is now used as a morale retreat for members.


Claims: Numerous vacationing Coast Guard members and their families have claimed to have been visited by a ghost while staying at Sherwood Point. Claims include hearing walking on stairs, voices and mysterious cleaning such as dishes being put away and beds being made. In the bedroom in which Minnie passed away, numerous people claim that the bed will be left unmade, only to be found neatly made later. Another claim stated the kitchen table had been set for breakfast sometime during the night. Perhaps Minnie is still tending her beloved lighthouse.



Sherwood point


The Investigation: We were invited to spend the weekend at Sherwood Point lighthouse on the 80th anniversary of Minnie's death. The team was comprised of myself, Joe, Jeni, Mike, Chelle, Chelle's husband Big Joe, My husband, Rick and former member Rachel. We had planned to spend the first night experiencing the site and reading the volumes of journals left by past visitors that detailed their paranormal experiences. We did set up one audio recorder but no other investigative equipment.



Sherwood point


The following morning before we set out to conduct research at the local library, we listened to parts of the audio. Within 10 minutes of the recording a female laugh could be heard when the building had been empty. About 20 minutes later you hear, Mike & I discussing the computer while alone in the kitchen. A female voice was recorded, the tone was almost irritated or mocking, and it sounded like blah blah blah-blah blah, as if she was tired of hearing "tech-talk". We plugged the audio recorder into the computer to further analyze the audio and watched in utter horror when "reformatting" appeared on the screen and the audio recordings were erased. No audio was captured during the following night's investigation.


After conducting our research and paying our respects at Minnie & Williams Graves, we returned to the lighthouse to set up for the actual investigation.


The investigation plan was to send two very different teams, with two very different personality styles into the lighthouse while the other remained in the garage about 200 feet from the house. The first team, comprised of Jeni, Chelle and Rachel with Big Joe video taping, was much more softer in personality, speech and demeanor. Team two; Joe, Mike & I, again accompanied by Big Joe had a much different personality style, much bolder, stronger and less "polite." Several digital audio recorders, night vision cameras and video recorders were placed throughout the building. The Coast Guard had provided us with a thermal camera which was used in addition to EMF detectors, digital cameras and IR temp guns. As we set up for the investigation, we were treated to a rapidly forming thunderstorm that was amazing to watch. Black clouds quickly rolled in, the temperature dropped and within 30 minutes we were bathed in darkness.


The actual investigation was uneventful, after the investigation as team members headed off to try to sleep despite the sticky humid weather. I went to bed alone in the bedroom Minnie had passed away in, while her husband remained outside to cool off. Several times during the night she awoke to what she thought was husband entering the room, however when she opened her eyes, she was alone. At about 4am in the morning, the house was awoken by the sound of her bedroom door slamming open with such force it put a dent in the wall.


We placed a video camera in the room pointed at the door and settled down to go back to sleep. Several more times I thought she heard footsteps in the room and was anxious to review the video the next morning. However when she went to watch the tape, the first 20 minutes were completely blank. The remaining video only recorded a still door and the snores of the sleeping household.


Conclusion of investigation: While we did have some personal experiences and can't discount the stories left behind by visiting military personnel, we collected no concrete evidence of a haunting at Sherwood Point. The ceiling fan in the master bedroom does make sounds that may be interpreted by a sleepy mind a voices or footsteps. In addition tourists and looky-loos tend to wonder onto the property at odd hours to photograph the lighthouse, and generally are not quiet about their arrival. Footsteps and voices might be attributed to these visitors. The building is old and sound carries strangely through it. Team members upstairs heard the door bang while Jeni & Joe and Mike slept soundly in the rooms right next door.


The lighthouse is surrounded by woods on 3 sides and lake on the fourth. Animals may also be responsible for some of the sounds heard and mistaken for a ghost by other visitors.


A return trip to Sherwood is planned by some members in August of 2009. They will continue to try to collect evidence that the lighthouse is haunted, and try to make contact with the ghosts that remain at Sherwood Point Lighthouse.


Paranormal Research Equipment – What You Need And Why



This article comes from Ghost Hunting Guide

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on paranormal research equipment to be able to conduct a proper investigation. Most things you need you will have just lying around the house. To make a success of your paranormal research and hopefully find something new you will need to be well prepared and organized before starting your investigation. The main five items you will need are: a torch, an analogue or digital recorder, a camera, a watch and a computer with the appropriate software.

1. The right torch

Finding a torch is easy, everyone has one. Just make sure that the torch you have is powerful enough to light up entire backgrounds and doesn’t just have a narrow beam.

2. Analogue and digital recorders

Most people will have these just around the house. If you have an old tape recorder that will do, just make sure that you have enough blank tapes to use. I prefer using digital recorders as they can usually hold more sound and are far easier to transfer to a computer.

Again, everyone has a camera. It’s best to use a digital camera if you can rather than film. If you have a 35mm they will have a sharper picture, also a digital camera can hold more photos. And let’s not forget they are far faster and cheaper to transfer to a computer for analysis.

4. A watch or clock

This is probably the most important part of paranormal research equipment. When anything happens in an investigation you should always without a doubt make a not of the time and occurrence. This can then be cross referenced with other results.

5. Report software

Coming across as a professional is very important n this industry if you want to be taken seriously. Their are programs online that allow you to present a clear analysis of paranormal data to show people. It also helps when it comes to cross referencing and having general storage for what you have found.

As you can see from this list, most things you will need you will already have or will be able to get hold of pretty easily. The next step is finding other like minded people to go out with and making sure they have the right paranormal research equipment.

To download professional paranormal investigation software, click here (it’s not free, but for $20 you get a lot).


Effects Of Electromagnetic Fields



This article comes from Ghost Hunting Guide

Can the electric and magnetic fields (EMF) to which people are routinely exposed cause health effects? What are sources of EMFs, and when are EMFs dangerous?

EMF (or Electro-Magnetic Field) is a broad term which includes electric fields generated by charged particles in motion, and radiated fields such as TV, radio, hair dryer, and microwaves. Electric fields are measured in units of volts per meter or V/m. Magnetic fields are measured in Milli-Gauss or mG. The field is always strongest near the source and diminishes as you move away from the source. These energies have the ability to influence particles at great distances. For example, the radiation from a radio tower influences the atoms within a distant radio antenna, allowing it to pick up the signal. Despite the many wonderful conveniences of electrical technology, the effects of EMF on biological tissue remains the most controversial aspect of the EMF issue, with virtually all scientists agreeing that more research is necessary to determine safe or dangerous levels.

Research since the mid-1970s has provided extensive information on biological responses to power-frequency electric and magnetic fields. The Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) Research and Public Information Dissemination (RAPID) Program was charged with the goal of determining if electric and magnetic fields associated with the generation, transmission, and use of electrical energy pose a risk to human health. The fact that 20 years of research have not answered that question is clear evidence that health effects of EMF are not obvious and that risk relationships, if risk is identified, are not simple. Because epidemiologic studies have raised concerns regarding the connection between certain serious human health effects and exposure to electric and magnetic fields, the program adopts the hypothesis that exposure to electric or magnetic fields under some conditions may lead to unacceptable risk to human health. The focus of the program is not only to test, as far as possible within the statutory time limits, that hypothesis for those serious health effects already identified, but to identify as far as possible the special conditions that lead to elevated risk and to recommend measures to manage risk.

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (ES) is a physiological disorder characterized by symptoms directly brought on by exposure to electromagnetic fields. It produces neurological and allergic-type symptoms. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, headache, eye irritation, dizziness, nausea, skin rash, facial swelling, weakness, fatigue, pain in joints and/or muscles, buzzing/ringing in ears, skin numbness, abdominal pressure and pain, breathing difficulty, and irregular heartbeat. Those affected persons may experience an abrupt onset of symptoms following exposure to a new EMF such as fields associated with a new computer or with new fluorescent lights, or a new home or work environment. Onset of ES has also reported following chemical exposure. A concerted effort to provide scientifically valid research on which to base decisions about EMF exposures is under way, and results are expected in the next several years. Meanwhile, some authorities recommend taking simple precautionary steps, such as the following:



  • Increase the distance between yourself and the EMF source sit at arms length from your computer terminal.
  • Avoid unnecessary proximity to high EMF sources don’t let children play directly under power lines or on top of power transformers for underground lines.
  • Reduce time spent in the field turn off your computer monitor and other electrical appliances when you aren’t using them.

The Office of Technology Assessment of the Congress of the United States recommends a policy of prudent avoidance with respect to EMF. Prudent avoidance means to measure fields, determine the sources, and act to reduce exposure.

Detect EMFs in your home and work environment. It is good to know where the sources of EMF are in your everyday world and how strong these sources are. Is there wiring in the wall behind your bed that you don’t even know about? Is the vaporizer emitting strong fields in the baby’s room? How much EMF are you and your family getting from the power lines in the street? Even hair dryers emit EMFs. Home inspectors often have meters to measure EMFs, or they can be purchased and shared with friends.

Diminish your exposure to the EMFs you find. Determine how far you must stay away from the EMF emitters in your home and work environment to achieve less than 2.5 mG of exposure the microwave oven, the alarm clock, the computer, and so on. Rearrange your furniture (especially the beds, desks, and couches where you spend the most time) away from heaters, wiring, fluorescent lights, electric doorbells, and other EMF hot spots. Where practical, replace electric appliances with non-electric devices. Where practical, replace electric appliances with non-electric devices. Have an electrician correct faulty high EMF wiring and help you eliminate dangerous stray ground currents. Shield yourself. Use shielding devices on your computer screen and cellular phone. Add shielding to your household wiring, circuit box, and transformers.

Electric fields in the home, on average, range from 0 to 10 volts per meter. They can be hundreds, thousands, or even millions of times weaker than those encountered outdoors near power lines. Electric fields directly beneath power lines may vary from a few volts per meter for some overhead distribution lines to several thousands of volts per meter for extra high voltage power lines. Electric fields from power lines rapidly become weaker with distance and can be greatly reduced by walls and roofs of buildings.

Magnetic fields are not blocked by most materials. Magnetic fields encountered in homes vary greatly. Magnetic fields rapidly become weaker with distance from the source.

Magnetic fields close to electrical appliances are often much stronger than those from other sources, including magnetic fields directly under power lines. Appliance fields decrease in strength with distance more quickly than do power line fields.

Related posts:



  1. Ghost Hunting Equipment – Intro to EMF Detectors From TAPS: The prime sensory instrument of any ghost investigation...

Good or Evil?




Article from: taps.com


Written by Grant Wilson


One of the first questions people ask themselves when they are confronted with paranormal activity is "Is it good or evil?". Subconsciously and often too frequently the answer they give themselves is "Of course it's evil, it just slammed a door!!"


This is usually an unfounded and biased decision based on dozens of scary movies, ghost stories around the fire and society's general lack of knowledge on the subject. Just because it's ghostly does not mean it's evil.


First off, typically you'll be confronted by what we call a "human spirit". This is the spirit of someone who was once alive, as you and I are alive. They were born on earth, they had a job, most likely a family, a dog, and most importantly, they died. For various reasons they are still hanging around. Now, because they were once alive they each have different personalities as you and I do. So, these spirits can be good or bad BUT NOT NECESSARILY EVIL. Fortunately the majority of us tend to be rather decent folks, but not all of us. The same goes for spirits. One spirit could have been a loving grandmother who is looking for her husband, or one could be a teen-aged punk who may be getting a kick out of scaring you.


Then there are the not-so-common type of spirits we call "non-human spirits". This is a spirit that never lived on the earth and is ALWAYS bad news and generally dangerous. The disturbing thing is that this type of spirit is brought to our realm through people who are meddling where they shouldn't. (Ouija boards, séances, curses, devil worship, etc.)


Now that we know that there are only two general types and we know their mentalities, we can better identify them. Here's a quick breakdown:




Typical Human Spirit Activity:

  • Noises
  • Appearance of seemingly random objects (flashlights, rocks, money)
  • An illuminated figure or part of a figure


Typical Non-Human Spirit Activity:

  • Whispering Voices - black shadowy figures
  • Violent acts against you (being hit, thrown, etc.)

  • Targeted paranormal activity (ie: you hate clowns, so the spirit moves the clown from room to room. You get the idea)


These are not all of the things to look for, but some of the most obvious signs to help you identify what type of spirit you're dealing with.

If you've got a non-human spirit, GET OUT and call TAPS asap. Contact TAPS by clicking HERE

In order to facilitate the processing of your request, we ask that you obey the following procedure. Otherwise we cannot guarantee that your request will be processed.

1. In the SUBJECT LINE of the email, please include the CITY and STATE of the location that needs to be investigated.

2. Address: Include the full address of the location that needs to be investigated.

3. Type of Establishment: RESIDENCE (Personal residence, residence of a friend or relative) or COMMERCIAL (Church, restaurant, hotel, etc)

4. Request Type: Is the request for you personally, for a friend or relative, or just a general suggestion for an investigation.

5. Contact Info: The name of the owners of the location, their email address and phone number.

6. Relationship: Your relationship to the location. (Owner, patron, etc.)

7. Duration: How long has the activity been going on and what type?

8. Frequency: How often does the activity occur and what is the most recent activity? Please describe.


Ghosts of Wausau "The Wausau Club"



This article is from the www.examiner.com


April 13, 11:32 AM Kathie Kessler


Anyone who lives in or near Wausau has heard the stories of the ghost nicknamed “Martha”, who resides at The Wausau Club. It is not known who “Martha” was, but stories range from her hanging herself in the west wing, to her and her children dying in fire. There is no available evidence supporting either of these stories.


The original owner of the house was Rufus Manson, He served three terms as sheriff of Marathon County, was mayor of Wausau from 1885-1886, was a member of the board of education, and in 1871 served as a member of the state assembly. He married a Canadian woman named Catherine Nicolls on November 13, 1854 and built the home in 1865. He and Catherine had 12 children. Checking the 1880 census, the Manson's did have a daughter named Mattie.. could this be “Martha”? We may never know.


When Mr. & Mrs. Manson died, the house stood vacant until 1900 and underwent several renovations before becoming The Wausau Club. There was a supposed tunnel under the building that lead to a speakeasy during the prohibition era, that has since been sealed.


I spoke with Jenny, a former employee of The Wausau Club who told me they would often hear children crying or laughing upstairs. “Martha” would often become more active if renovations were being made to the building. “You would feel a cold presence and a musty smell, then things would start happening.” Once during a remodel of the basement area Jenny said she had several stacks of dishes on a cart ready to be plated and watched them fly across the room like a deck of playing cards. She said most of the employees would talk sweetly to Martha, as she seemed to have quite the temper and penchant for throwing things.


The Wausau Club now sits, partially renovated, but never finished due to rising costs and unexpected damages. Now dark and vacant, does “Martha” still wander the corridors and once grand rooms of this stately 145 year old building?


The Wausau Club, vacant since it closed in late 2004, remains on the market after the Community Development Authority turned down a purchase proposal.


photo from Wausau Daily Herald Photo of The Wausau Club


Wausau Club


RELATED POST: Coming Soon


Ghosts of Wausau - Wausau Municipal Airport




This article is from the www.examiner.com


April 26, 11:57 AM By Kathie Kessler

One of the last places you would think to be haunted, would be an airplane hanger at a small town airport. But that's story at Wausau's Downtown Airport. The Wausau airport was founded in 1927 and accepted commercial flights until 1969 when they were moved to the Central Wisconsin Airport.


There are reports of footsteps and banging noises that start in one area and travel around the building. Faucets turn themselves on and off. These phenomenon are all attributed to the ghost of Archie Towle.


Archie Towle was born in Merrill April 5, 1900. He served in the Army as a truck mechanic during World War I. After returning from the war in 1920, he came to Wausau. Archies interest turned to aviation and he soloed on May 16, 1929, thus beginning a Towle family tradition. Archie taught his wife, Margaret, and their 16 year old daughter Marie to fly. Since then, seventeen of his descendants have learned to fly, most taking their solo flight on or near their 16th birthday.


Archie was instrumental in developing Wausau's Alexander Municipal Airport in 1928, becoming the airport manager from 1934 until his death. He logged over 3,000 flight hours as a flight instructor and was the airport's first fatality in 1945. During an air show, Archie attempted a roll but lost control, crashed his plane and died. Marathon County Historical Society has photos of the crash HERE


Since then people have experienced odd phenomenon in the hangar that he so often frequented, even up to this day. It's not hard to believe that someone who loved flying so much and the airport he started, would be hanging around checking on things even after his untimely demise.

After his death, his daughter Marie and her husband managed the airport. Both Archie and Marie were inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame on October 25, 2003.


Ghost In Apartment



This report was found on W-FILES.COM




  • Date: June 16, 2004
  • Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
  • County: Eau Claire



Details: This ghost report is from Eau Claire in Eau Claire County of a haunted apartment. It comes in from a thirty-seven year old customer service representative. There were several witnesses who observed the ghost or this phenomena for approximately one hour. There is a history to the location, and a ghost encounter. Here is her report:


"My husband and I were at a friend's (we'll call him "B") apartment approximately 2-3am. Several other people were there. I had never been to his apartment before and B hadn't told me anything about the it. I was there about 10 minutes and was kneeling on the floor by the coffee table when I felt this hand shake my right shoulder. I looked up but nobody was behind me and nobody was close enough to touch me. I stood up and, for some reason, I immediately knew the apartment was haunted and the entity's name was John. I turned to B and told him, "This place is haunted. His name is John." B looked at me and said the place supposedly was haunted. I asked B what the person's name was. He said it started with a "J" and he thought it was Jake or Jack. I asked B if the entity was bludgeoned and B said he was a drug dealer and was stabbed in the bedroom that was right behind me. Not too long after that my husband and I decided to go home as the entity was making me feel uncomfortable.

We got in the car and left. Halfway there I could sense that "John" was in the back seat of the car. I could feel him. He was following me. When we got home I had my husband bless our property.

I haven't felt "John" since then."

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Trigger Objects




Article from CPS Paranormal

Trigger objects: what are they, and how do they fit into the world of paranormal investigation? A trigger object is an inanimate object such as a toy, personal belonging, or other object associated with the deceased, which is used to attract the entity's attention or possibly capture the object in motion by creating possible physical contact of the object by the entity.

Many investigators will use items like toys, i.e. stuffed animals, balls, etc., when dealing with the ghosts of children who have passed on, due to the playful nature of a child's mind. It is a way of not only drawing the ghost close to you but also gives it confidence that you are not there to harm it, but just to play and contact it.

There have been instances where a small red ball was placed in a bedroom or hallway by an investigator and then moments later the object in question was moved from its origin of placement. To simply put an object down and see if it moves throughout the night is not enough. The investigator must make the area quarantined, by either sealing off the room or area in question and making video graphic notes on it as well as having another investigator there to validate the experience.

The entities of children are assumed to be playful and most of the time, you may get a response, but there have been instances where the spirits of children have been known to be a bit “disrespectful” for lack of a better word and may cause havoc in a location that is presumed “haunted”. These spirits have a tendency to cause confusion & mischief, but again, you have to remember since they were once alive, theoretically, they are now what they were then, children.

On the other hand, when dealing with an adult entity you have to be a bit more scientific to see if you can not only appeal to their nature but also see if the possible movement can be caught on video. Theoretically since the spirits of adults tend to bind themselves to earthly possessions, people or places, one has to (if at all possible) try to associate that entity's manifestation with an object that was a personal possession of that person, i.e. keys, pen, photo, etc., and see if they are drawn by the presentation of an object that was once theirs, if at all possible. If not, then one must try to use a similar object to see if that entity will associate itself with that particular piece.

Many investigators tend to use a more scientific method as we at EPIC do, by encasing the object in a triangle of electrical tape to note if there has been any movement, or by placing a video device known as a Hi-8 directly in front of the object to capture its possible movement. Upon doing any of such type of experiments one should always remember one of the most important rules, and that is to seal off and quarantine the area from any possible contamination or interference from anyone that may stumble onto the experiment.


In conclusion, trigger objects are not only fun to use but have a way of connecting oneself to the entity if at all possible. Never be frightened to conduct experiments such as these in a client’s home; just make sure that you discuss your intentions with the client and its possible outcome as well as getting their utmost approval to conduct it on their property.


Paranormal Research Equipment – What You Need And Why



This article comes from Ghost Hunting Guide

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on paranormal research equipment to be able to conduct a proper investigation. Most things you need you will have just lying around the house. To make a success of your paranormal research and hopefully find something new you will need to be well prepared and organized before starting your investigation. The main five items you will need are: a torch, an analogue or digital recorder, a camera, a watch and a computer with the appropriate software.

1. The right torch

Finding a torch is easy, everyone has one. Just make sure that the torch you have is powerful enough to light up entire backgrounds and doesn’t just have a narrow beam.

2. Analogue and digital recorders

Most people will have these just around the house. If you have an old tape recorder that will do, just make sure that you have enough blank tapes to use. I prefer using digital recorders as they can usually hold more sound and are far easier to transfer to a computer.

Again, everyone has a camera. It’s best to use a digital camera if you can rather than film. If you have a 35mm they will have a sharper picture, also a digital camera can hold more photos. And let’s not forget they are far faster and cheaper to transfer to a computer for analysis.

4. A watch or clock

This is probably the most important part of paranormal research equipment. When anything happens in an investigation you should always without a doubt make a not of the time and occurrence. This can then be cross referenced with other results.

5. Report software

Coming across as a professional is very important n this industry if you want to be taken seriously. Their are programs online that allow you to present a clear analysis of paranormal data to show people. It also helps when it comes to cross referencing and having general storage for what you have found.

As you can see from this list, most things you will need you will already have or will be able to get hold of pretty easily. The next step is finding other like minded people to go out with and making sure they have the right paranormal research equipment.

To download professional paranormal investigation software, click here (it’s not free, but for $20 you get a lot).


The Treasure Chest, Plainfield, Wisconsin



This case report comes from Wisconsin Paranormal


  • Location: Plainfield, WI
  • Date: 01.31.09
  • Time: 9:00pm - 3:15am
  • Weather: 32.9/Clear (Outdoors) & 44.6-61.5 (Indoors)
  • Investigation Type: Indoor/Business/Residential
  • Investigators: Jay, Katie, Allen, Paul, Maddie, Laura, Perry, Amy, Ashley & Jackie
  • Classification: Public

Details: WPI was contacted via website email by the client requesting help with unexplainable activity. Client claims included, but are not limited to: footsteps, knocking on doors, pounding, doors opening/closing, sound of a woman’s voice, an apparition and lights turning on by themselves. The client wanted validity in their claims and do not necessarily feel threatened.

Findings: The first experience WPI had occurred during set-up when the cash register, which was off, printed the date on the receipt and turned back off. There is a possibility that this was caused by lead investigator Allen who was examining possible live wires in the basement. We also captured unexplainable shadow formations on two photographs taken in the basement of adjacent property. Both photographs share the same shadow on the right side, where the other also includes a shadow on the left side. Please visit the Photo & Video Evidence page and see photograph exhibits: Plainfield Bldg. B Basement Photo 01 - 1 shadow and Plainfield Bldg. B Basement Photo 02 - 2 shadows.

Upon trying to recreate the anomalies, we could not find a way to recreate these same shadows by any means with the same equipment.

Allen and Ashley, while investigating the apartment of the Treasure Chest, captured an EVP. Allen asks a question in regards to the man having died in the room and there is a faint “Yeah” in response to his question. Please visit the EVP page to hear EVP exhibit Treasure Chest Bedroom EVP 01.

Allen found EMF readings in excess of 15.0 coming from a coax-cable in the ceiling above Lona’s bed. A situation such as this may cause headaches, uneasiness, feelings of being watched, mild hallucinations; et al. WPI believes the cable in question requires better grounding to reduce these EMF levels. Otherwise temperatures appeared normal and did not fluctuate within rooms. We did find the basement of the adjacent property was home to several bats; however there have been no claims pertaining to this property.

We also noted the vast amount of religious artifacts and materials spread about the apartment of the tenants residing in the adjacent property. This may be due to their cultural and religious beliefs and not due to possible paranormal activity.

Conclusion: WPI believes there could be something paranormal based upon some of the claims where we were not able to find natural, reasonable explanations for these claims. The only exception would be with the high EMF readings explained above, which would not only cause the noted side effects, but could also lead to Electrical Hypersensitivity (EH). Despite the EVP and photographs we cannot say that the Treasure Chest and adjacent property are haunted, as the evidence overall is inconclusive.


The Treasure Chest ~ Plainfield, WI 01.31.09

Investigators: Jay, Katie, Allen, Paul, Maddie, Laura, Ashley, Perry, Amy & Jackie

The following are unexplainable shadow formations on two photographs taken in the basement of adjacent property. Both photographs share the same shadow on the right side, where the second also includes a shadow on the left side. Upon trying to recreate the anomalies, we could not find a way to recreate these same shadows by any means with the same equipment.




Treasure Chest Plainfield 1

Treasure Chest Plainfield 2

Brumder Mansion Bed & Breakfast - Milwaukee, WI



This report is from Appleton Paranormal


Brumder Mansion Bed & Breakfast

November 9, 2008

Conclusion:


VISUAL EVIDENCE:

A.P.I. was unable to gather any visual evidence other than video recordings of other evidentiary tools in operation such as EMF detectors fluctuating or dowsing rod movement during communication sessions. Only a couple of photographs showed anything, and those were unsubstantiated orb activity which, due to a lack of other corroborating evidence, could be explained as dust or moisture in the air.


AUDIO EVIDENCE:

A.P.I. captured various audio experiences during the investigation, but these were seemingly normal occurrences given the age of the structure and the household material present such as HVAC equipment. Throughout the evening, various knocks and creaks were captured, and while some were unexplained, there was nothing to indicate any paranormal sources of these noises.

TECHNICAL EVIDENCE:

EMF readings throughout the building were relatively steady and unremarkable. Only two areas within the building exhibited EMF readings that were notable: The first area was in the laundry room in the basement of the facility. This extremely high area of EMF was emanating from the dehumidifier operating in the room. The readings were well into the 190s and above. The second area was located in the Gold Room. In this instance, there was a higher-than-normal reading which emanated from the electric digital clock on the nightstand. In both circumstances, it is possible that any person who has EMF sensitivities could experience the usual negative effects such as paranoia, nausea, feelings of being watched, and a susceptibility towards visual and auditory illusions.

Temperature readings throughout the evening were relatively steady. A couple of minor fluctuations were noted such as a ‘cold feeling’ or a small ‘cold spot’, but there was nothing major to report from this evidence.


A.P.I. uses dowsing rods as another tool to help communication. In a couple of instances, responses appeared to be given to direct questioning. A.P.I. acknowledges that these ‘responses’, while very interesting, do not necessarily constitute firm evidence of paranormal activity. There was no corroborating evidence such as EVPs or EMFs detected during these sessions. Those who review this evidence are asked to keep this in mind when drawing any distinct conclusions.


PERSONAL EXPERIENCES:


There were no notable personal experiences besides hearing the previously mentioned creaks, or knocks. Team B did believe they heard a door rattle, but nothing that was experienced was corroborated by other evidence collected.

Team members agreed that there was no overall ‘feeling’ by anyone of any presence during our investigation. Team members felt comfortable in the building and did not have any physical experiences which could be construed as personal evidence of paranormal activity.


ANALYSIS:


Appleton Paranormal Investigations was unable to collect any evidence of paranormal activity during this investigation. While others persons have, in the past, reported unexplained experiences, no such happenings occurred during our visit.

One notable issue is that of the reported history of the Mansion. In particular, the topic of a Brumder family member reported named Susan and referred to as ‘Aunt Pussy’ in mansion legend. In a conversation with the Brumder Mansion innkeeper, it was revealed that in a discussion she had with a Brumder family member that no such person existed. This may lend credence to the theory that at least some of the previously reported paranormal experiences were created by the previous owner of the facility.

NOTE: A.P.I. recognizes that simply because no evidence was collected during our investigation which would indicate a paranormal presence, that does not eliminate the possibility of such activity altogether. Paranormal activity is often sporadic, and while we cannot conclude that it does exist in this location, we cannot conclude that it does not. We simply did not collect any evidence towards either conclusion.

A SPECIAL THANKS


Appleton Paranormal Investigations would like to thank Tom & Julie Carr, owners of the Brumder Mansion Bed & Breakfast, as well as Innkeeper Cheryl Deppe, for their incredible graciousness and their decision to allow API access to their beautiful inn.

They were very interested in our work and very trusting in allowing us complete access to all the public areas of the facility. Cheryl also treated Team API to a wonderful breakfast on Monday morning, and for that we were especially grateful.

We look forward to assisting the Brumder owners & staff in the future with any concerns or inquiries.


Sunday, October 24, 2010

Dori Roberts Quote



Victorian Cherub

Note:These quotes come from Dori Roberts, who can be contacted via her facebook page.

‎"Laugh in the face of angry words and witness the vast weakness of a hateful spirit" ~ Dori Roberts ♥



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"Liars are the only people who fear the truth, insecure people gossip, and only the lonely & the desperate need to create drama to sustain what little self worth they actually have."~ Dori Roberts ♥


Angel Of The Day



Victorian Cherub

Note:The angel postings for this section will be coming from the book A Dictionary Of Angels Including The Fallen Angels by Gustav Davidson.

Angel Name:Abbaton.

A name of God or of a holy angel employed in Solomonic conjurations to command demons. [Rf. Mathers, The Greater Key of Solomon.]

The word has the menaing of death and, in this sense, Abbaton is Death and a guardian spirit in Hell. [Rf. the Coptic Book of the Resurrection of Christ by Bartholomew the Apostle, setments of which are quoted by M. R. James in The Apocryphal New Testament.]



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Victorian Cherub

Note:The angel postings for this section will be coming from the book A Dictionary Of Angels Including The Fallen Angels by Gustav Davidson.

Angel Name:Abdals ("the substitutes").

In Islamic lore, the name given to 70 mysterious spirits whose identites are known to God alone, and through whose operations the world continues to exist. When one of these divine entities dies (the Abdals are not, apparently, immortal), another is secretly appointed by God to replace him. Of the 70, two score reside in Syria. (Cf. "The Just" in Jewish folklore and the Lamas of India.)


Friday, October 22, 2010

Angel Of The Day



Victorian Cherub

Note:The angel postings for this section will be coming from the book A Dictionary Of Angels Including The Fallen Angels by Gustav Davidson.

Angel Name:Abbadon [Abaddon].



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Victorian Cherub

Note:The angel postings for this section will be coming from the book A Dictionary Of Angels Including The Fallen Angels by Gustav Davidson.

Angel Name:Abbadona.

A fallen angel, a seraph, at one time the chosen companion of the faithful Abdiel (q.v.). In Klopstock, The Messiah, Canto 21, Abbadona, not wholly commited to the rebelion and constantly bemoaning his apostasy, is called "the penitent angel."

It should be pointed out however, that a fallen angel cannot repent--not, at least in Catholic doctrine--for once an angel sins, he is "fixed eternally in evil" and his mind accordingly, can think evil only.


Ghosts vs. Spirits What Is The Difference?



This article was found @ www.craigmcmanus.com

By Craig McManus on August 27, 2010 at 12:00 am in Craig's Blog

One of the most frequently asked questions I hear is “What is the difference between ghosts and Spirits?” The answer is very subjective. While some people refer to ghosts as Spirits, I think of them as two different states of a soul. When I do one of my weekends in Cape May, I can never be sure if the ghosts will show up or not, but the Spirits have never disappointed me, they seem to always be around and ready to talk! So what is the difference you ask?

GHOSTS are those souls that remain earthbound. They have unfinished business or a fear of moving on that keeps them stuck somewhere between life on earth and the afterlife. I feel there are two types of ghosts. There are ghosts who do not even know they are ghosts. To these souls life has not yet ended, they are simply dreaming and have yet to awaken. There are other ghosts who know they have died, but either will not accept it, or choose to stay for a some personal reason. The first type of ghost we could say is “asleep” and lives in a dream state, while the second type is “awake” and conscious of its surroundings. I will encounter both types in hauntings.

SPIRITS are souls that have died and have made the transition over to Heaven/the Other Side. They are able to move between Heaven and Earth with ease. Sometimes these souls are back to help and other times they simply come to visit. These Spirits can be loved ones we have lost or people we never knew. They all have a reason for crossing back. It is usually to help in some capacity.

When I channel I will work through my Spirit Guides to bring forward those Spirits who wish to communicate with my client. Most often the client will recognize these Spirits by name. Sometimes a call to an older family member or friend is needed to verify the identity of someone who came through in a session. We may also have Spirit Guides who we never knew in life. We have these Guides since the time we are born. These Guides could be a family member who died prior to our birth, or someone we knew on the Other Side who has agreed to help us in this lifetime.

Ghosts are typically place centered. They can exist near where they lived or died, but usually you will find them where they lived. Often they haunt a favorite place that they enjoyed in life. If a ghost is haunting near where it died, the ghost is usually in the dream state I mentioned above. These ghosts may be running through their own death scenario over and over again. This type of sleeping ghost can wander aimlessly in a dream state never being able to wake.

A ghost may stay tethered to the earth plane for many reasons, but there are usually a few common themes that apply to most hauntings. A tragic, fast death, especially for a young person, is a sure way to create a ghost. If someone feels his or her life was taken in its prime, that person may resist giving up the ghost. This is probably the reason behind many children’s ghosts. Material ties to a place or objects and emotional ties to a person or people are two of the more common factors in why ghosts will stay stuck. Every ghost is different, but they all have a reason for staying put. Some, most actually, will eventually get bored and cross over. As in life, we all have to do things in our own good time. Some ghosts just never get over what has happened to them, in the same way a living person is not able to get over something tragic that has happened to them during their lifetime. Some of us can let go and move on, some of us dwell in the past and stay stuck.

Getting a visual is difficult with both ghosts and Spirits. Ghosts are rarely seen, but can be felt and experienced in the mind. The same goes for Spirits. As a medium, I “see” both ghosts and Spirits in my mind, not with my eyes. Ghosts appear to me as shadows of people, often without faces. Spirits appear much more human, at least the Spirits of former human beings will…there are animal Spirits and Nature Spirits as well. When I sense energies around me I can sometimes tell a ghost apart from a Spirit by this mental site. It is more likely though, that a ghost will give itself away by its own behavior toward me and its surroundings. Ghostly personalities may be perceived by humans as dreamlike phantoms. Was I daydreaming you might ask…or was that a ghost?

Getting personal or making contact with a ghost or a Spirit is really the only way that I can tell the difference. Ghosts tend to be more aloof and distant. Sometimes they will communicate, but most of the time I have to do a little psychic probing of my own to get into their “minds” and understand who they are and why they are still on the earth. Spirits will communicate with me in a very natural manner of dialogue. I just can’t hear it with my ears, I “hear” it with my mind. Spirits are fully aware of who they are/were and what they are doing. They usually retain their former earthly personalities, so their loved ones will recognize them. While ghosts are living their own internal drama, Spirits will typically be around to help us with our earthly dramas.

Spirit Guides can move people into your life path and influence the outcome of our actions. They can make things happen. They Guide, they do not decide, but if you need their help and ask for it they will be there for you. Ghosts could not care if you were alive or dead. They typically avoid the living. We annoy them. They want to have their own space and privacy and when we invade that privacy they may take action to push us away. However, some ghosts do enjoy the company of the living and will even act a little like a Spirit Guide or a companion, but they are limited in range and scope of what they can manifest and how they can affect our life paths. Everyone is different. They same goes with ghosts and Spirit Guides.

You don’t have to be a psychic or a medium to experience a ghost or a Spirit Guide. While a medium can help deliver messages from Spirits, we all have Guides around us, helping all the time. Spirit Guides will and do communicate in many ways. They may even visit you in your dreams to offer advice and guidance. If your Spirit Guide is a loved one you have lost, they may visit to reassure you that they are safe on the Other Side. Ghosts on the other hand are less likely to want to communicate. The ghostly bumps and sounds or smells we may experience in a haunting are less likely to be a ghost trying to communicate, but more likely a ghost going about its day to day affairs. Spirit Guides tend to work quietly in the background whereas ghosts can become the background in an active haunting. I get a warmer feeling when a Spirit Guide is around versus a colder more distant feeling when I encounter a ghost. Many have reported the same experiences.

So when it comes to the difference between a ghost and a Spirit (I capitalize the “S” in Spirit, to differentiate a Spirit Guide from an alcoholic drink!) think of a ghost as a soul that is still attached to its former life and cannot let go. Whereas a soul that has crossed over and comeback to help is a Spirit. It’s just my personal definition, but it works for me.

Now that you know the difference…the next time you ask the ghost in your house to move on, make sure you are not kicking out your Spirit Guide instead!


Paranormal Ghost



by Rebecca Seaman

This article was found @ www.ghosthaunts.com

A ghost can be defined in several ways depending on different situations. One of the definitions refers ghost to a person's spirit or soul who has died. This definition is used commonly among all! There have been several doubts regarding the existence of the ghost and disputes too whether ghosts are just imaginations or part of objective existence. Reports say that ghosts have taken shape of vehicles, animals and humans. Parapsychologists have undertaken the task to study about ghosts.

The existence of ghost is met with the shape they exist which is usually in human shape very rarely animal ghost are encountered. It is said that it does not consists of any solid matter. Different parts of the world have different theories about the ghosts. The Western theory related to ghosts is that ghost is semi-transparent and does not interact or touch any physical objects directly. They state that paranormal ghosts are souls that could not find rest after death and they wander here and there to fulfill their goals. It is said that this is the time for them to take revenge thus killing people and making hindrances as seen in many of the movies.

There are many who do not accept the existence of ghosts. Scientific research disbelieves the fact that ghosts are disembodied souls or spirit, but then they prove that these ghosts are impressions of psychic energy left behind by a deceased person who is still living. They state that any tragedy in a person's life might cause mental energy of some kind, which would be released to the world, and this energy might be experienced by many other people who are sensitive to the presence of such energy.

Ectoplasm is referred by the parapsychologists as the substance from which spirits and ghosts are made of. Such an explanation of ghost classifies it in the same category as that of preternatural unexplained phenomena as telekinesis or poltergeists, ESP and telepathy. Such a definition always makes it difficult to explain about the ghosts that tend to answer questions and those which foretell the future etc.

An astonishing fact is that the best details about the existence of ghost can be obtained from Garuda Purana, which is script from Vedic tradition of the Hindu religion. This Purana says that people who do sins will be reborn as ghosts. Garuda Purana explains the things done by the ghosts and the food they eat. It is said that they consume vomit, waste, cough, urine and tears and prefer these to be the things that they eat and drink.

In many cases, human psychology plays a major role in ghost sightings. In chilling situations where ghosts are associated with a natural animal response may make the hair rise which could be mistaken for a chill. Illusions can be created by one by seeing an eerie figure. This occurs as a result of the disability to sharply distinguish shapes in case of peripheral vision. It is a proved fact that sound waves with frequency lower than 20 hertz called infrasound is inaudible, but now it is proved by the British scientist Richard Lord and Richard Wiseman that these infrasound would be the reason for causing humans to feel a presence in the room or even to cause unexplained feelings of dread or anxiety!


Ghosts versus Spirits … how are they different?



This article was found @ charlespeden.wordpress.com

There seems to be a lot of confusion over the definitions applied to ghosts and spirits. Many times people may use the two terms interchangeably when in fact the two though similar are quiet different.

We are all spirits inside our physical bodies. Think: Car=body & driver = spirit.

The spirits of those who have passed, (died) have two choices upon their death.

The first choice is to “cross over” that involves stepping into a “tunnel” of white light and then being “whisked away” to another dimension – the other side, heaven, summerland … there are many names for it, but I will simply refer to it as “the other side” and then going through a life review.

The second option involves ignoring the white tunnel of light and instead remaining on earth, however unable to move between the two worlds and able to keep a close eye on things connected with your last life on earth. By making the choice to stay (for the time being) you have essentially become a ghost. While as a ghost you have the same body as a full fledged spirit from the other side, however you are vibrating at a lower frequency and are not able to move freely between the planes of existence.

Let’s discuss what happens when you elect to cross over. I must inform you that it is not a world like ours, and therefore it is difficult at best to describe it, in fact I will not bother to describe it, except to say that it seems to be a nice enough place and very similar in many respects to our world, yet vastly different. Spirits who come down from the other side tend to be relatively tightlipped regarding actual details of that dimension and so I will focus more on the difference between ghosts and spirits. I do know however that all of us must go through a “life review.” This life review allows us to see how our actions and thoughts have affected those around us and even the world at large. It is more of a learning experience rather than one where you are being judged and condemned for anything that you did to others that was harmful or hurtful in anyway. Regardless of what the other side is like, we all go through a process called a life review. This is not a judgment rather an opportunity to learn from our most recent incarnation and to appreciate how our thoughts, words and actions affected not only ourselves, but those around us. If you hurt someone physically, you too will feel what it felt like to be harmed by you and how it made them feel emotionally and physically.

After going through the life review, it is my understanding that you are then freed up to explore yourself and the other side. One of the greatest things that is revealed to you, is the history of your past lives. Once you begin to view your life as the sum of your lifetimes versus the results of a single lifetime, frequently you lose some of the interest in the intimate details associated with your most recent life and will begin to be far less attached to the way that things play out after leaving earth from your most recent incarnation into a physical form. This little detail seems to be what keeps some very well informed and “aware” spirits from moving on and staying earthbound as “ghosts” even though they “get it”.

Just as in life, so too in death there are those who understand what is going on better than others, just take a look around you. There are people who are great at “playing” the game of life, they are full of energy, tend to be a pleasure to be around and tend to be successful with good jobs and a great family life. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who cannot seem to get it together. They tend to be the ones who end up homeless, wandering around aimlessly, no real purpose or understanding of how life works here. The same can be said for spirits once they cross, there are those who “get it” and those who do not. Let us discuss those who do not “get it” for a moment.

When someone dies, they tend to feel as though they still have a physical body. Many times there is confusion associated with a tragic and sudden passing such as a car crash. One moment you are fine and the next moment you are standing outside of the vehicle that just wrecked and even though you feel “fine” you can see your body laying there … broken, perhaps mangled. This tends to result in the person who just died, going into shock for a moment as they come to grips with what just happened. In some cases this is all it takes to become a ghost, they may refuse to accept that they are dead and avoid crossing with the hopes that it is all just a bad dream, a nightmare that they will soon wake from. This happens sometimes to people who die in their sleep, where they refuse to accept it. I had one where a lady who had passed at the age of 78 in her sleep, did not believe she was dead, she told me that she watched her funeral, but that it could not possibly have been real because she saw her body in the casket and being lowered in the ground, but was not in the casket herself … so therefore it had to be a nightmare that she could not wake from.

When there is unfinished business that needs to be resolved, it is not uncommon for a spirit to stay as a ghost, until the issue is resolved as many of them realize that they will not care as much once they cross. Ghosts have a bad rap since most of the cases we hear about are the angry ones … “content” (if there is such a thing) ghosts tend to make less of a fuss and tend to not get noticed as much. Angry spirits who have not crossed, such as the ghost of a serial killer who took his own life as the police were closing in on him would be a good example of the type of ghost that Hollywood has latched onto in so many horror movies. The dangers associated with interacting with such a ghost are genuine, though typically not nearly as freaky as shown on the silver screen.

An angry ghost may try and use a living persons body to act out, such as in a “possession”. This is fairly rare since you must allow the ghost to merge with you in order for this to take place. If you do not want to merge, it is fairly easy to resist, however … some enjoy the adrenaline rush and chaos that erupts when they become “possessed” and the host may actually get a “kick” channeling the spirit of the angry ghost.

In my experience often times those who report seeing a ghost are in fact reporting on the appearance of someone who is connected to them. Making yourself visible, or a full manifestation is not an easy thing to do and requires great effort on the part of the ghost. Frequently ghosts will connect with us without bothering to become visible to the naked eye, instead you may feel a coldness, an uncomfortable/unsettled feeling and or other sensations such as unusual smells and odd pains or shortness of breath, often associated with the ghosts manner of passing.

When called in to assist with a “haunted” location the first thing I do is to see if I can establish a dialogue with the ghost and or spirits connected to either the person or location that I am looking into. Ghosts can and do travel, they can be connected to the land or a building, but even then they are capable of traveling anywhere that they choose to go. In order to cross one of them over, I will try and find out what it is that is keeping them from moving on and if possible I will assist them in taking care of any unfinished business and if at the very least will give them someone to talk to. Once the “issue” has been resolved, (if possible) then I will call upon their family members who are on the other side to come and assist me with moving the “ghost” on to the other side.

Spirits on the other side can travel anywhere they please to including into the ghostly ream as well as anywhere in the universe while ghosts are earthbound. Spirits are at a much higher frequency than ghosts. Imagine if you will that in order to cross to the other side you must pass through a mesh screen. While holding onto your earthbound “baggage/issues” you are not able to pass through the fine mesh screen, however those who have dropped/processed their baggage are able to cross though with ease, both “up” to the other side and back “down” to this side.

Some ghosts are proud of their status as a ghost and may relish their position. Many I have spoken to who reside at historical inns, restaurants and the like … consider themselves to be good for the business as many may visit simply in hopes of catching a glimpse of the ghost purported to be on the property. Other ghosts stay behind on battlefields as ambassadors/caretakers of the land and in order to ensure that we never forget the events connected to such places so that we may not repeat them. Ghosts who are associated with locations popular for committing suicide (such as the golden gate bridge and the empire state building) may stay behind in order to attempt to scare people off from following in their footsteps.

Sadly the church especially the Catholic one has helped to “create” a great number of ghosts. When you are told all your life that once you pass you will be judged by St. Peter and either sent to heaven or to hell for all of eternity, you may choose to skip the life review/visit with St. Peter and simply stay where you are, in essence creating your own little “hell” and staying earthbound as a ghost.