(Copied from my Facebook post)
My long-time friend Raja Narain asked where I’ve been since November. That question deserves a full answer. So, this will be long.
Basically, after Halloween (when things can be a bit wild in this field), I needed a good, long break. I was irked because – on TV – far too many “ghost hunting” shows have become like parodies of what this field is… Or what it is for people like me.
I see people doing dangerous and/or silly things, just to hold the TV audiences’ attention. Maybe like a “Mr. Beast” version of paranormal research…?
That’s almost the polar opposite of why I’m in this field.
I enjoy visiting historical and “haunted” sites for the ambience, the mood (perhaps residual energy), and the sense of connection with people and events of the past.
The main reason I use ghost hunting equipment (like EMF meters) is mostly to rule out natural explanations for that “spooky” feeling.
For example, someone sensitive to elevated EMF levels may feel uneasy (or worse) if the site has bad wiring, or unshielded electrical devices.
(A classic example: If a really old refrigerator is used in a home, if you’re in the room on the other side – facing the back of the refrigerator – you may feel uncomfortable, or even as if the house is haunted. I’ve lost count of the number of “haunted” college dorms and old cottages where the eerie feeling is simply high EMF levels from old refrigerators, etc.)
But, when I can’t find a reasonable explanation for high EMF levels, then – yes – the site might be haunted.
However – for me – ghost hunting equipment is an adjunct to the experience. It’s not what I focus on… ever.
Seeing someone on TV, waving a radio-like device, grabbing words he hears, and thinking it’s a ghost talking to him…? Yikes.
As I saw it at Halloween 2023, much of ghost hunting – at least on TV and at events where people are mimicking those shows – has been leaning heavily in that direction.
I needed a break. I needed to step back and evaluate just what I’m doing in this field, and how I want to talk/post about it.
I’m still in the midst of that process, but I’m (gradually) doing a reset with my websites, YouTube channels, etc.
I’m pretty sure most of my friends will understand this, and I’d like to hear your thoughts about the future of real ghost hunting.
I’m getting pretty frustrated, too, with paranormal stuff, as a whole. It seems to be difficult to get it to work consistently. My advice is to do what that anonymous individual who worked at Skinwalker Ranch once said in an op-ed on George Knapp’s Vegas news site: focus on the human body and how it reacts to these phenomena. The phenomena might be able to trick us, but, if they do trick us, they will probably have to cause some real effect on the body to do so. (probably having to do with, at least, the brain) Kinda reminds me of Rene Descartes saying that while I may be able to be fooled about just about anything, I CANNOT be fooled about the fact that I exist because it is impossible to fool something that doesn’t exist and make it think that it really does exist. I think, therefore, I am…or if you prefer the nineties basketball commercial version, I jam, therefore, I am.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XeIAzIzLvg
Mark, I’m smiling and nodding in agreement. Love the Descartes reference too!
Thanks Fiona for the answer. It makes sense when the devices are used to rule out glitches due to machinery, rather than connect them with ghostly presence. The psychic perceptions and residual energies were put to professional use by Beverly Jaegers. These energies exist and have been used in investigative field.Ghost phenomena might be closely linked with a distinct meaning.
Interesting speculation, Vivek, thanks!
Hey, Fiona, there is a new whistleblower on the government UFO conspiracy issue named Jason Sands. I believe that he claimed that as a part of the conspiracy that he was a part of he got to go to alternate universes. I wanted to let you know, in case you were interested.