Tag: how to be a paranormal investigator

How to Become a Better Paranormal Investigator in 2022

Alex Matsuo2 Comments

2022 marks a new year, which means it’s all about new beginnings! One of the things you might be looking to do is to up your ghost hunting game. Becoming a paranormal investigator is a big decision. It’s a choice that takes up quite a lot of time and money, not to mention management on a multitude of levels, especially if you run a team. For many paranormal investigators, going on more investigations seems to always be on the list of things to do to become better. Field work is critical if you want to improve your investigation skills. Perhaps it includes going to that “bucket list” location, or trying new things at an old location. No matter where you are in your paranormal investigation journey, you’re always trying to better yourself.

I know this is one of my 2022 goals. So, here’s a list to help you (and me) learn how to become a better paranormal investigator this year!

Don’t Take Everything at Face Value

When you see someone post a photo, video, or audio clip of their evidence, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Ask the poster why they think it’s paranormal, and how they came to the conclusions they have. Just accepting someone’s posted data as legit paranormal phenomena isn’t necessarily helpful to the field. This is especially true if we find out that the data is a hoax. In a world where people are using filters, string, and other hoaxing methods, I usually go by the idea that if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to debunk, but the more you ask questions, the more you will find yourself debunking.

Document More

Documenting experiences doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as easy as writing down an incident with the date and time that it occurred. This is critical to do in the moment, even when you’re freaking out. After you’ve calmed down, you can further explore what happened and find out why it happened. Also, it helps build your credibility. Whether you’re writing down notes, taking photos, making notes of the weather changes, etc., document more of the surrounding events in your investigations and experiences. You might start noticing a pattern, or be better equipped at explaining an incident.

Research Something Different

We have your typical research areas of interest: history, psychic mediumship, and locations. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to research areas within the paranormal. For example, research the psychological effects of EVP, or audio pareidolia. Maybe even research the idea of time loops, adding performance to investigating, etc. Or, subscribe to a parapsychological research journal from the Rhine Research Center or the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena. Thinking outside the box this year can really help expand your paranormal investigation methods and expertise.

Hold People Accountable

This is especially critical for people to do when they see someone willingly fake evidence. The growing trend on TikTok and YouTube is incredible “paranormal” events being captured thanks to fishing line, clever audio editing, and poorly performed reactions. This behavior continues because we are willing to stay silent. However, our silence is deafening, and we need to start holding creators accountable for their actions. See the fishing line? Call it out. A video of a door opening by itself too good to be true? Ask to see a different angle. Our singular voices aren’t doing much, but vocalizing as a group may make a bigger impact.

Collaborate with Someone Who Thinks Differently

This doesn’t mean you have to collaborate with a skeptic. Collaborating with someone with different approaches and ideas can help you really hone in on what you believe in the paranormal. I often enjoy talking to people who disagree with me because it gives me the opportunity to expand my mind and see what other people are thinking in the field. Being challenged is often a scary thing in this community, but I promise that it is one of the most valuable experiences you’ll have.

Think Like a Skeptic

You don’t have to be a skeptic to think like a skeptic. Even if you think skeptics are full of it, thinking like one can help you keep accountable in your investigation methods. Work backwards in your investigation and method of collecting evidence. What questions would a skeptic ask you about your experience? What gaps would be pointed out in your investigation? Thinking ahead on these points will help you become a better investigator as well as be able to offer better explanations when asked.

Be Aware of Your Biases

This one is a tough one. We all have biases, even skeptics. If a skeptic (or a cynic) goes into a location with a goal of debunking, it’s a bias. I often catch myself having a bias when I go into a haunted location. As someone who likes to do my research pre-investigation, I have to be aware of my own biases. I can’t assume that the spirit causing the activity is the one I read about online. Heck, I can’t assume that any activity is a spirit. I have to keep an open mind and proceed to try other methods of engagement to see. If I feel a cold spot, and I assume it’s a ghost I read about online, that’s a bias. This can be really counter-productive and even harmful.

Read What Others Are Doing

While it’s nice to stay in your own paranormal bubble, sometimes you have to see what others are doing. If we stayed in our own corners, we would never know about different ideas and methodologies of other people. Part of the reason why this field has stayed stagnant for so long is that we’re not willing to try new things and try what other people are doing. On the flip side, also share what you’re doing. Yes, peer review can be scary, but feedback is critical in this field and we need more of it in order to get better. Could you imagine if the Estes Method stayed within the circle of Karl Pfeiffer, Connor Randall, and Michelle Tate?

Take Classes

Finally, while controversial, take classes. There are lots of free resources online, as well as offerings for an annual membership fee. For example, ASSAP (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena), offers weekly webinars for an annual fee of about $28. The Rhine Research Center also offers plenty of online events to learn more. Even classes you find on Udemy and other learning platforms can be beneficial. If you find out the class is bad, then you know what sort of quality to look for.

I’m forever a student and believe in the idea of never stop learning. As soon as we stop learning, we become stagnant. There are far too many people in the field who don’t find value in education and it honestly makes me sad. While it’s true that we will likely never be able to prove the existence of ghosts, we can learn other areas of the field. There’s photography, videography, audio, genealogy, folklore, just to name a few. If an investigator doesn’t find value in education, it’s a red flag. Don’t be a red flag.

Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The paranormal community can be toxic and problematic, especially if you don’t fit into the acceptable dominant group of investigators.

There is a major disparity when it comes to paranormal entertainment. This is especially true for paranormal events where event runners are filling up their rosters with people who aren’t even involved in the field. There is a major absence in women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community on television and paranormal events. Yes, it’s perfectly logical for event planners to fill their roster with a few TV folks. But there are prolific members of marginalized groups who are researching, creating content, and investigating that are being overlooked.

Also, the paranormal community needs to start listening to members of marginalized groups when they speak out. If they point out something that is problematic in the community, investigation methods, etc., we need to listen and see what we can do to make it better. Personally, I’ve met many BIPOC who have told me that they don’t feel safe in the paranormal community. That’s a huge issue.

We won’t get better, become more inclusive, and be a safer space unless we start listening. We’re not listening to marginalized groups, and that needs to stop. Not only do we need to listen, but we need to speak up when a marginalized group is getting oppressed all over again because ghost hunters want to ignore ethical boundaries.

What other things can you do to become a better paranormal investigator in 2022?

How to Talk to Spirits

Alex Matsuo

Talking to spirits seems like an easy concept, right? You just talk to them like you would any other person. Throughout my time as a paranormal investigator, I’ve learned that it isn’t that easy. If it were, we would be a lot further in the field than we are now. But what is interesting is that in order for me to learn how to better communicate with spirits, I did have to work on my people skills. Meaning, I had to consult my notes from my communications class in college. See Mom? I’m using my college degree!

If you want to dive deeper into the practice of ghost hunting and spirit communication after this, I highly recommend checking out my book, The Brave Mortal’s Guide to Ghost Hunting.

A lot of these tips were influenced by my years of investigating and working with a variety of different people. One of the heaviest influences was John Sabol’s “Ghost Excavation” method. If you’re looking to elevate your paranormal investigation, I highly recommend checking him out!

History of Modern Ghost Hunting

As we dive into the topic of how to talk to ghosts, it’s important to know where the current style of spirit communication and ghost hunting comes from.

The earliest form of ghost hunting that we know of goes back to the Spiritualism Movement and the Fox Sisters in New York. When they made contact with an alleged spirit by the name of “Mr. Splitfoot”, they were asking the spirit to make rapping sounds for “Yes” and “No” and naming letters of the alphabet. This later caught on as the Spiritualism Movement gained momentum.

Of course, we know now that the Fox Sisters fabricated a lot of their experiences and stories, but that didn’t stop Spiritualism from becoming a full-out religion.

Seances had a similar practice; knock one for yes and two for no.

How many ghost hunters still use that technique? A lot. In fact, ghost hunting on TV hasn’t changed in nearly 20 years since “Ghost Hunters” premiered.

A Rich Man’s Pasttime

As years go by, we have folks like Harry Price, Harry Houdini, Hans Holzer, Maurice Grosse, the Society for Psychical Research, the Ghost Club, Ed and Lorraine Warren, all of these different people were trying to find answers to the supernatural mystery of spirits. They were all doing in their own way.

Harry Price is regarded as one of the original ghost hunters. While he didn’t have a degree in science, he was a researcher and very much a promoter of his own work.

For example, Hans Holzer used a medium during his investigations as a tool and to be that bridge between the spirit world and the physical world.

So fast-forward, and the TV show “Ghost Hunters” hits television, and everyone realizes that they too can become a ghost hunter.

Much of the style we see on the show not only goes back to Spiritualism but with the addition of tech, it seemed that “sciences” had made its way into the field. Well, it’s always been there it’s just that the TV show made it super obvious.

K2 meters were flying off the shelves at hardware stores. Radios were selling out at Radio Shack. People were flocking to this new hobby and it has stayed that way basically ever since. Because TV has been so prominent in it, much of the way that we investigate today is influenced by TV.

Tips for Spirit Communication

These are some of the most common statements you’ll hear on TV. In turn, you may hear this during a ghost hunt.

  • “Give us a sign of your presence.”
  • “Is there anyone here with us”
  • “Do you know that you’re dead”

I don’t like that last one.

It seems that we forget that ghosts are people too. They engage and interact with us the same way that human beings do.

We just can’t seem them. But just because we can’t see them, it doesn’t mean that we turn them into science experiments that don’t have a soul.

So when you’re trying to make communication with a ghost, I always say that the first thing you should do is introduce yourself. Say your name, why you’re here, reassure the spirits that you’re not there to harm them. Also, set your intentions. Speak out loud that you’re only going to communicate with the spirits of the property and only spirits of love and light.

Super important, set your boundaries. If you don’t want to be touched, say so. Unless you want it to be a free for all, then maybe not set those intentions, but things may get messy.

Share Your Story Too

Tell the spirits about yourself. You’re going to be spending the rest of the night asking THEM questions and invading their personal life. It’s only fair that you share some things about yourself too. For example, are you married, do you have kids, did you serve in the military, do you like baking, did you go to school, are you a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, were you and your family affected by a major moment in history…things like that.

What this does is not only does it allow the spirit to get to know you better, but the spirit might find some common ground with you. Like, maybe they too served in the military, or they like baking, or they are bisexual like you are. If a spirit can see a part of themselves in you, they will be more open to talking to you.

Secondly, when you ask your questions, ask them like you would ask a friend. I wouldn’t get too formal with your questioning because it changes the dynamic of your position. You don’t want to come across as too authoritative, especially if the environment doesn’t call for it.

Also, pay attention to how the rest of your group is feeling. If someone is feeling cold, getting touched, etc. and no one else isn’t, then switch gears and have that person ask the questions because the spirits may want to talk to them instead.

Thirdly, when you do get responses, always say thank you and praise the spirit for the communication. We don’t know how much energy it takes to communicate so always show appreciation for the effort.

Trigger Objects

Don’t be afraid to use trigger objects like toys, alcohol (don’t drink it), music, sewing needles, posters, artifacts or replicas of items from the time period, anything that could be familiar to the spirits of that time.

Again, you want to bring something relatable to the spirits so that they feel more comfortable talking with you.

These methods may not work for every location. You want to make sure you’re flexible and can switch gears to adapt to the spirits you’re communicating with. This is why going with the flow is super important.

Write your questions down too. I’m actually working on a list of questions to ask during EVP sessions. That way, you won’t get stuck if you get spirit communication.

Really listen to the interactions you’re having, and try to mold your questions from that too. Follow up. Be careful asking stacking questions too, meaning don’t ask three questions at once, “What’s your name? How old are you? Do you live here” Be sure to leave about 15-30 seconds in between each question so the spirit can answer. You don’t want to talk over them while they’re answering.

Finally, have fun. You’re going on an amazing spiritual adventure. Be in the moment and see how much information you can learn. Check historical records after to see if anything you picked up can be backed up by history.

10 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Paranormal Investigation Skills

Alex Matsuo

As paranormal investigators and researchers, we should always be looking to improve ourselves. It’s far too easy to remain stagnant in this field and get set in our ways because we find something that works and is consistent. That’s fantastic when that happens, but sometimes it can stunt our growth. Eventually, stunted growth festers and it becomes a problem. But, fear not!

This is a wonderfully diverse community with so much to offer. Here are ten ways to improve your paranormal investigation skills.

1. Believe in Abundance

There is a lot of competition in the paranormal community, but you don’t have to play that game. There is enough room for everyone in the paranormal. There’s plenty of room for everyone to do something significant in the field and have success. Believing in abundance means that you don’t feel jealous when someone is winning. You believe in collaboration over competition. Also, you don’t waste time comparing yourself to everyone else. Not only does it waste time, but it also shifts your focus and it depletes you of precious energy. Embrace what makes you unique. There is no one else like you. You bring something different to the table because you are different. Embrace that!

2. Never Stop Learning

I firmly believe that paranormal investigators should never stop learning. In the age of online learning, if there is anything you want to know, there’s likely an online class for it. I firmly believe that all paranormal investigators should take a basic photography and videography class so that they can understand how the camera catches light. I also believe in taking classes that can improve your investigation and research skills like genealogy, basic psychology, and more.

If you can’t afford a class or taking classes aren’t your best learning method, then look for other resources like panels, discussion groups, listening to podcasts, library books, watching documentaries, the list goes on. There are a multitude of ways to learn from each other in this field that won’t cost a dime. Take advantage of free resources when you can.

3. Think Critically

Critical thinking is a crucial skill if you want to improve as a paranormal investigator. Rarely should you look at a piece of data, a theory, and immediately think, “Okay, that’s legit.” It means you become an active learner rather than a passive sponge of information. You should look at information and figure out possible explanations, question sources, ask questions and see if the sources you have framed the entire picture. If you want to give this a go, click here for an amazing resource on critical thinking.

4. Be Coachable & Open to Feedback

Technically, paranormal people are already doing this, but they’re not liking the results. Really, anytime someone posts a photo or video of evidence, they are putting it out there for peer review. People can analyze and criticize it. They can also give feedback. If someone is a photographer and they debunk your photo, you should take into consideration what they say. If someone asks about conditions surrounding the evidence (setting, temperature, etc.), be ready to provide that information. Most importantly, if you don’t understand, ask questions. I’ve seen many people who, after not understanding peer review feedback, reject any and all ideas and just conclude, “It’s paranormal.”

5. Learn How the Tech Works

Any tech that you use, you should know how it works. What makes it go off? How was it made? What exactly is your tech detecting? This is beyond cameras. You should know what makes your REM-Pod go off. Definitely try to understand how your audio recorder captures sound. It’s possible to understand tech at a high level without diving too deep into the technical aspect of it.

6. Talk to Skeptics & Believers

As a self-proclaimed skeptical believer, talking to the opposite ends of the spectrum has been monumental to my growth as a paranormal investigator. I find that skeptics keep me on my towns and help me make sure that my evidence collection is clean and ethical. Talking to believers helps me understand why people believe what they believe, and how their experiences shape them. All of this better equips me in the field not only in practice but also helping me in how I communicate my ideas on a public forum.

7. Try New Approaches

There are more than a few ways to investigate the paranormal. Research different methods of ghost hunting, like John Sabol’s Ghost Excavation Method. If you don’t like sitting in the dark asking questions, you don’t have to keep doing that. There are hundreds of ways to investigate the paranormal. I lean more towards John Sabol’s method because it gives me an opportunity to dive deeper into the context of the ghosts, and I get to dress up a bit and really take on a character!

8. Try Something Different

As folks get settled into their role as a paranormal investigator, we tend to gravitate more towards what’s comfortable for us. If you want to improve your paranormal investigation skills, try something you’ve been hesitant to dive into. Perhaps you’re normally setting up tech, try historical research. Or, if you’re doing historical research, try setting up tech, or location scouting. There are so many roles within the paranormal, and becoming a well-rounded investigator will make you much more valuable in the field. Plus, you’ll become more self-sufficient.

9. Study Different Personalities

I’m the last person to put labels on people, because I despise them. This isn’t labeling people. I highly recommend studying the personalities of different people in the paranormal community. What are their likes? Dislikes? What upsets them? What brings them joy? I think this is a critical thing to do in the paranormal community so that we can better understand and interact with each other. In turn, this translates into paranormal investigating. Why? Well, ghosts and spirits are people too, and they may have a similar personality to someone you know in real life.

10. Show Your Data to Experts

While there may be not “experts” in the paranormal, there are experts in photography, sound, and videography. If you know me well, you may already know where I’m going with this. If you’re looking for feedback on your photo of orbs, don’t show it to other paranormal people if they don’t have a background in photography. They know the ins and outs of how that technology works. Show your data to them. I guarantee they will be able to tell you what’s going on in your evidence using logical explanations that are backed up by the science of these devices.

I hope these tips were helpful for you! Please feel free to share your own tips in the comments on how to become a better paranormal investigator.

Amazing MUST KNOW Ghost Hunting Tips for Newbies

Alex Matsuo

Congratulations! You have decided to step into a unique world of mystery, suspense, and even a little spook. Probably one of the most popular questions I get as a seasoned paranormal investigator is, “I’m going on my first ghost hunt, what do I do?” I love helping people prepare for their first ghost hunt. It’s almost like a right of passage! If you google what to do for your first ghost hunt, you’ll find a lot of good stuff. I’m not trying to trump on anyone’s good advice. But, I do have my own little “to do” list that will help you have the best time you can have!

Respect

First and foremost, respect the location you’re investigating. Respect the deceased that you’re trying to communicate with. Follow the rules of the venue and the group that you’re in. The quickest way to get kicked out of a ghost hunt, let alone some angry spirit coming after you, is to be disrespectful.

Self-Assess

Before you commit to any sort of ghost hunt, you need to decide what you want out of the experience. Do you want to get scared? Do you want to learn some history? Do you want to try to find proof of the afterlife? Are you trying to contact someone in particular? Just answering simple questions like this can help you gain a better understanding of what you want out of the experience. If you’re someone who gets scared easily, read reviews of the location before you go. Read some of the legends and experiences people have had. Is this something you can handle? If not, perhaps looking into a more benevolent location might be better. If you feel you’re ready, then you know what your limits are and when to give yourself a break.

Know Where You’re Going

Being familiar with your location is key before going on a ghost hunt. If the company you’re working with wants to keep it a surprise until the night of, all hope is not lost. Ask them what kind of environment you’ll be ghost hunting in. Is it a house? Will you have to hike? Will you be outside? If there’s any part of the ghost hunt that will take place outside, then be sure you’re ready for whatever weather is on the forecast that night.  Not only that, but find out the conditions of the roads. There have been times I’ve almost damaged my car from driving on rugged terrain in my little sedan when my ride buddy had a jeep left at home.

If the location is going to be in the dark night in the woods, then flashlights are a must. Closed-toe shoes are also a must. Speaking of the woods, going through any bushes and trees will warrant wearing some jeans just so you avoid any poisonous plants. I also advise people to not wear all black if they can avoid it. I’ve heard of many ghost hunters getting hit by cars at night because the driver couldn’t see them since they were wearing all black.

Tech

This is another area where I get a lot of questions. I always tell people that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on equipment. Part of the ghost hunting experience is collecting evidence, or as I prefer to call it, data. It means you could be recording audio on a recorder, or taking a video of your experience. The one thing that people forget is that if you take in 4 hours of data on your audio recorder and 4 hours of data on your camcorder, you have 8 hours worth of data to go through. If data collection is what you want to do, that’s fantastic. But if the thought of this is daunting, there is nothing wrong with wanting to do tech-free just so you can have that experience.  Some of the earliest ghost hunters only had a pen and paper to jot down notes.

Pack Smart

If you’re going on a ghost hunt that will last longer than 4 hours, you might need to pack some food provisions to get through the night. Everyone will usually default to packing sugary snacks and caffeinated drinks. However, that will cause your blood sugar to spike, and then you’ll experience a crash…which will be counterproductive if you want to stay up for several hours. Protein-filled snacks, veggies, and water will be necessary to get through the evening.

Food aside, packing flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit should be in any ghost hunter’s survival kit. Even if the location is indoors, you never know when you might get a scratch or miss your footing and get injured.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential to enjoying the ghost hunting experience. Sure, eventually you’re going to get tired. But if you push yourself beyond being sleepy, you will start to see and hear things that aren’t really there. Sleep deprivation can cause some interesting hallucinations and can be similar to the feeling of being drunk. It could compromise your ability to understand your surroundings. Something simple and logical could get interpreted as something paranormal. If you feel tired, there is no shame in taking a cat nap. I try to get at least eight hours of sleep the night before an investigation along with a nap during the day.

Research

This can go in two different directions. Some people want to research the location as much as possible before an investigation. They do this so that they know exactly what is going on at a haunted location. They will know the names of who is reportedly haunting and be able to use contextual questions to establish communication. Meanwhile, other people don’t want to know anything before going in. This is so that they don’t “taint” themselves with previous information. Many with psychic abilities may opt to do this.

Abilities

If you feel like you have psychic or mediumship abilities, then you’ll need to prepare for another aspect. Numerous times, I’ve noticed people get overwhelmed during an investigation. When I talk to them to try to help them, they reveal to me that they have abilities and they got overwhelmed by the experience. To avoid this, if you’re completely new to the world of having abilities, I recommend that you learn how to ground and shield. There are some great articles to help you learn this.  Having the best understanding of your abilities before your ghost hunt will be key to you having a good ghost hunting experience.

Ask the Right Questions

With each ghost hunt, you’ll probably hear a few suggestions for questions to ask. But, there is a trick to asking the right questions that will create a welcoming environment for communication. You want to keep the questions simple, but also smart. One of my pet peeve questions is, “Do you know you’re dead?” Something as simple as asking for a name is better. Knowing the history of the location in terms of important dates in its existence (ie: wars, presidential inaugurations, world events, etc.).

Stacking questions can create problems as well. That is when you ask several questions in the same stream of speaking. An example of a stacking question would be, “What’s your name? Where are you from? How old are you?” If asked by themselves, these questions are fine. But asking them in the same line of questioning, it will result in confusion. Finally, be sure to leave 10-15 seconds of silence after each question to give the entity time to produce an answer.

Be Safe

At the end of the day, you want to be safe. That is the number one priority in any ghost hunting experience. You don’t want to try anything that could compromise your health and safety.  You have most likely signed a liability release form, which means that if you get injured, then you’ll have to cover those expenses yourself. While it may be tempting to climb into the attic or ignore the “Keep Out” signs in order to explore another part of the haunted house, a lot of things could happen. The floor might give out, you might inhale bat guano, or you encounter an unexpected injury. Ultimately, you want to put safety first.

If you have any other tips for a successful ghost hunt for a newbie, please share them in the comments!