Dangers and Risk Factors

This article is found on Shekinah Paranormal

By Jeff Messenger

Jeff Messenger's view on the risks involved with paranormal investigation

Most people are very familiar with paranormal investigation. Multiple television shows are focused on this realm. How familiar they now seem. Teams of very young people explore dark hallways and corridors, preceded by nervous flashlight beams and shrieking electromagnetic field detectors.

If truthful, these shows capture multiple occasions where investigators are scratched, slashed, burned, bruised, choked, even knocked off their feet. Some investigators admit that spirits occasionally "follow them home." Ugly spirit attacks have driven researchers out of the field altogether.

At SPI, our team motto is "safety first." We don't believe that inflaming paranormal violence is ever a good scenario. It is not worth the resulting "evidence" or footage that can be gained. If investigators stir up spirit violence, this increased activity is bound to effect the normal residents within that "haunted" environment. No matter your culture, religion, or perspective, no human being wishes to live in a frightening and dangerous place.

I (Jeff Messenger) have put together what I consider an assessment of "risk factors," behaviors that can make investigators and residents open and vulnerable to spirit attack. These subjective assessments may be prone to future alteration. These risk factors are measured 1-10, with 1 being a minimal risk, and 10 being a maximum risk.

Simply living in, or investigating, a haunted environment can be a risk all in itself. If one handles the situation in a cautious manner, this scenario should have a minimal risk.

Risk Factor 2.

Investigating a graveyard or cemetery can be dangerous. Such locations can have a history of satanic rituals or active spirit conjuring. It is hypothesized that demonic spirits are attracted to places of grief and suffering. Human decomposition is also something a demonic spirit would be "attracted" to.

Risk Factor 3.

Giving Recognition to spirits carries it's own risks. This involves speaking to would be spirits, or trying to catch their image on film. The recognition process is hypothesized to "empower" spirits. This is a necessary evil investigators do, so as to capture evidence. Evidence is necessary within our skeptical and "scientific" era. Hopefully, a paranormal investigator will have a higher power to lean on, for strength and protection.

Risk factor 4.

Voluntarily Giving Away your Free Will is a spiritual risk. The moment one feels trapped or enslaved by an addiction or compulsion, one is vulnerable to negative entities. This may be alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling or sexual addictions, etc. Even desiring guidance from a horoscope, angel, "spirit guide,"... even a would be "angel or saint"... desiring guidance from any "created being" rather than that which created all...this flies in the face of your human gift of free will. This will make a person vulnerable to negative entities.

Risk Factor 5

Using Religious Provocation is a double edged sword. On the one hand, one is using the authority of God, as they command spirits to reveal their identity. It's a handy tool, in revealing the nature of a demonic spirit that may be masquerading as a benign or innocent human spirit. On the other hand, when one uses such authority, one puts him or herself on the "front lines" of spiritual warfare.

Risk Factor 5

Conducting an EVP session, with an active question and (spirit) answer intent, can be more dangerous than most investigators realize. A psychic link or connection is initiated by the living person, and a malicious spirit can use this link as a conduit for attack.

Risk factor 6.

Using Spirit Provocation is much more dangerous than employing religious provocation. This act assumes that spirits can be moved, manipulated, or commanded on one's own authority. While responses can be had with this maneuver, they are seldom positive in nature. Note that even on the television shows, investigators often get hurt immediately after they... or a close colleague... employs spirit provocation.

As a footnote, the verbal prompt "...Can you give us a sign of your presence?" is very risky. It's like handing a stranger a blank check. What will this "sign" be? A smell of flowers, or a frying pan hitting someone in the head? Worse still, the spirit sits on his "blank check" for six months, then responds to your prompt one night when you're snug in your bed.

Risk factor 7

Using Any Oracle Technique. An oracle can be an Ouija Board, a Franks (Spirit) Box, A Pendulum, or anything that is designed to open the way for spirit communication. Even attending a séance would be risky. This live wire for communication becomes an easy conduit for spirits, should they wish to invade your life.

Risk factor 9

Intentionally engaging in ritualistic conjuring, or any ritualistic violence, is the ultimate risk factor.