Note: This is copied from my post at Medium. I suppose it’s kind of a manifesto, but – mostly – it explains what I’m focusing on, now.
Okay… I won’t bore you with everything I’ve learned in those 30+ years. Instead, here’s what I believe is important.
Most ghost hunters are sure of two things.
One is: Something odd is going on at haunted places. Usually, it seems to be both earthly (like a living person) but also unearthly (invisible, in most cases).
It’s there. Then it’s gone. Then it’s back again.
The second thing is: We don’t know what that “something” is.
Our ghost hunting tools and devices confirm the anomalies. But they can’t tell us what that “something odd” is, or why we sense or detect it.
So, after years of observing various ghostly phenomena — with devices that often distance us from it — we still don’t have answers.
Maybe it’s time to accept that we have no proof of ghosts. In fact, we may never have proof. Not the scientific kind, repeatable in a lab.
I suggest that it’s time to set aside the distractions and, instead, experience whatever-it-is… the ambience, the eeriness, and — perhaps — an encounter with an actual ghost.
That doesn’t mean you should drop your guard. Not wholly, anyway. After all, we’ve learned that some of what lurks at “haunted” sites can be dangerous.
Instead, let’s increase our awareness: Feel the cold spot instead of fixating on the thermometer. See what accompanies the EMF surge instead of concentrating on the detection equipment.
After decades in the field, I’ve learned the value of experiencing the haunting instead of making it a science experiment. After all, this is reality, not a lab.
We’ve measured and speculated and produced lofty theories.
They’ve led us nowhere.
Maybe it’s time to admit it’s a mystery. Perhaps it’s time to step into the wonder, and explore what’s there.
The most valuable part of ghost hunting may be the opportunity to experience an extraordinary connection with another time.
Let’s not squander this, staring at devices that merely confirm what we already know: Something odd is going on at haunted places.
Observe the phenomenon closely. Let’s use our five (or six) senses to their fullest.
That genuine encounter with “something odd” may be among our richest, most exciting adventures.
Here’s a sort-of related video, from HollowHill.com. Though I recorded it to explain the purpose of that website, the theme is similar to the article, above.