There are two main types of investigations, the ghost hunt, and the ghost investigation.
Ghost hunting is searching for ghosts at a location that is not known to be paranormally
active. This would include such places as cemeteries, schools, and creepy old buildings. A
ghost investigation on the other hand, is searching for ghosts in a place thought to be
paranormally active and usually invited in to do so. These investigations include gathering
evidence such as emf readings, temperature readings, humidity readings, audio and video,
photographs, enterviews, etc. If a haunt is suspected, usually another investigation is
scheduled to gather more evidence and do a historical search of the grounds and people
associated with it. The client is then briefed on all findings, shown evidence gathered, given
a final report, and offered any assistance if deemed appropriate and necessary.
Many paranormal investigators are extremely leery in labeling a location haunted. Even if the
entire team believes that it is true, they are reluctant to go public. I believe that this is
because of fear of ridiclule, or someone in the future finding a natural cause for the
phenomena at hand, and therefore damaging the teams reputation. I believe in calling things as
I see them, and then letting others check it out for themselves. You may not agree with my
opinions or findings and that is fine.
I do not claim to know everything there is to know, nor do I even hold the same theories and
philosohies as some other investigation teams. That is why I try to remain independant and work
with groups that I feel are of quality and open minded skeptics. I consider myself an open
minded skeptic with mytaphysical tendancies. Balance is the key to anything. You need to do
your own research and come to your own conclustions.
Labeling a haunt may be one of the most difficult things that an investigator will have to do.
It would be extremely easy to mislabel or misinturprete evidence. Many "symptoms" in each of
the different types of haunting may mimic each other. Many are very similiar in nature. The
first thing that must be done is to rule out any natural cause for any of the occurances. After
that has been done, sifting thru the evidence and looking at all things from all angles, we try
to label the haunt. The following list contains many of the current thoughts on types of
ghosts and hauntings.
Types of Ghosts/Hauntings:
Bed Post Ghost
Sometimes called a Banshee, in which a spirit is seen by a friend or relative in very lucid
dream usually with feelings of reassurance or warnings involved.
Crisis Apparition
Appearance of a spirit of a deceased, near deceased, or in extreme crises to a loved one. It
is very life like in appearance. Also in this class would be the wraith and doppelganger.
Ghost lights (also called spook lights, earth lights, or will-o-the-wisp)
Mostly white or yellow lights (but can be other colors such as orange or red or even change
colors) that appear either randomly or in patterns in certain locales. Often there is a humming
sound. They are mostly viewed in remote locations. The size and duration may vary greatly.
Some are active only a short time, while others last for decades or more. Often seen only from
certain angels and distances, loud noises may cause them to vanish. Many reports of ghost
lights are natural occurances such as what has become known as swamp gas (ionized gasses that
come up thru cracks in the Earth's crust and/or are caused by natural decay), head lights on
vehicles, or even a hoax. Sometimes ghost lights are associated with hauntings. Expecially
those involving a tragic loss of life. There are many associated with railroad accidents. Some
Wisconsin ghost lights would include the Dog Meadow Lights near Eagle River and the Lighthouse
lights near Green Bay. These lights may appear interactive with witnesses.
Orbs
An orb is the name given to the sphere shaped ball of light that is often captured on film.
They can be of various size, shape, and intensity. There are many theories as to what an orb
actually is. Skeptics often view it as just mosture in the air being caught on film, or dust
and pollen. Others feel that it is the soul of a dead person in transit. They often associate
the different colors of orbs with aura or chakra colors. Another theory based on the laws of
physics is that the orb is energy from a power source that a spirit is using to manifest. That
is also why many beleive that emf meters would read high during paranormal activity. I myself
have caught orbs on film, but I am not locked into any theory at this point.
Phantom Ships
Images of lost or sunk vessels that seem to mysteriously appear and disappear on bodies of
water. They may seem menacing or helpful. There are some Wisconsin and Great Lakes stories such
as the Phantom Ship Griffin.
Phantom Hitchhiker
An apparition that usually appears on the side of the street seemingly hitchhiking or waiting
for a ride. Some stories involve people giving them a ride only to have them mysteriously
dissapear later. They may disappear when a ride is offered, or may take a ride when one is not.
Poltergeist (also called recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis)
Taken from the german translation meaning "noisey ghost". These can be loud, sometimes violent,
and destructive in nature. This outburst of paranormal activity dates back to first century
Rome. It can last anyway from a couple weeks to years. It usually centers around one person,
generally (but not always) an adolecent female girl in some sort of emotional stress, that
investigators have dubbed a human agent. The activity generally does not occur when that human
agent is not on the premesis. Because of these things, scientists have considered the distinct
possiblitiy that this is not a haunt at all, but PK (psychokinesis). Often there are things
flying around, unpleasant smells, levitating objects, disappearance and reappearce of objects,
outbreaks of fires, assalts on humans, rapping, glass breaking, thumping, etc. However, these
are also found in cases of discarnate spirits or malevolant spirit.
Portal Haunting
considered a doorway providing acess for spirits to get from another realm to this one. This is
what some investigators think that burial grounds and cemeteries may be.
Residual Haunt
A memory or energy imprint on a location which acts similar to a repeated movie loop playing
itself over and over when certain geometric, environment, or calendar events occur. There is no
interaction between the occurance and the witness. It can be anything from an event to a noise.
This type of haunt tends to occur in areas where a great amount of energy is expended. There
are many stories from battle sites that involve a residual haunt of soldiers reinacting the
battle. It could also be as simple as the footfalls on steps at a certain time of the night
every nite.
Time Slip
Also called retrocoguition is a displacemnt of time where a person seems to see into the past.
Traditional or "Intellegent Spirit" Haunt
A haunt upon which their is interaction (negative or positive) in any way with the living.
Generally thought of as the soul of a human who has for some reason has not crossed over, or
choses to return for some reason. There may be unexplainable cold/hot spots, indents in
furniture, voices, music, movement or disappearance/reappearance of objects, specific odors,
shadows that move, etc. This is one of the rarest forms of hauntings, but the one that most
want to investigate.
