The Ten Commandments of Paranormal Investigation
THOU SHALT BE INFORMED.
We will start from the beginning, every person who is doing paranormal investigation should have a period of time where they are "ghost hunters". Go out and learn. Experience is a necessary tool for anyone hoping to help a client with their paranormal case. I have been contacted quite a few times regarding cases that have been made worse by inexperience and misinformation. Paranormal television is not a tool to learn unless it is to learn what not to do. When you reach the point that you are confident in your techniques, the equipment you use, and the knowledge you have; then you can start taking on clients. When you take on a paranormal case, make sure you are informed about the facts of the case. Ask questions, interview the clients and percipients, and do a thorough walk through of the location. Make sure that the location is safe, the client is legitimate, and you have the details necessary to do a well rounded investigation.
THOU SHALT BE PREPARED.
I have checklists for everything I need to take on an investigation, overkill? Maybe, but I am a list maker and it works for me. I make sure all the equipment is charged or has fresh batteries, any equipment that has storage is cleared off, the cords and boxes are all accounted for, all of the forms I need are in the case file, we have emergency forms and a first aid kit, and we have necessary items depending on the bathroom situation (hand sanitizer and TP). Additionally I make sure that everyone has directions to the location, where to park, appropriate clothing and shoe choices, and they know the bathroom/climate situation. My entire team always has snacks and drinks, but we can be taken by surprise by the location if we have not entered it prior to the investigation day. We recently did a case that the entire house was in shambles. Rotten food, trash, a broken window, filth, and more. We weren't prepared but we cleaned the location up and covered the broken window. (NOTE: The owner knew about all of this prior to us arriving but did not feel the need to share the information.) Be prepared for EVERYTHING.
THOU SHALT NOT TRESPASS.
I don't care who you are, who you are with, or your purpose; GET WRITTEN PERMISSION TO BE AT ANY LOCATION. You may ask, what about public places? Chances are you are attempting to go at night, is this permitted? Are there posted hours that the location is open to the public? Just because there are no fences, gates, or doors; doesn't mean that it is allowed. Private property should ALWAYS be respected and the owners or representatives should always be consulted before you step foot on the property. Create a form, write up a letter, or have them do it; but ALWAYS get written permission.
THOU SHALT BE RESPECTFUL.
Respect the location. Respect the client. Respect the spirits. No matter what the location looks like or how it isn't what you expected, leave it better than when you arrived. No matter what kind of client you have, respect them. Even if they give you a hard time, be professional in all of your dealings. Consider even the worst client a learning experience, you are providing a service even if they are wrong, just take the high road. Just like a living being, make sure that you don't rile those spirits up and leave the client to deal with them. Treat them like a stranger you are meeting for the first time and create a rapport. When you have good, positive energy; so will what you encounter. (Well in most cases.)
THOU SHALT NOT VENTURE OFF ON THY OWN.
Safety first! I am guilty of this and to be honest it's never a good idea. If you fall or are injured in a location that you cannot be found, you may not make it out. Always take someone with you and carry a two way radio or cell phone for tracking, especially in large locations. Additionally if you are out wandering alone, you may experience something! When you have someone with you (lets call it the buddy system) they may experience it too! More validation than a story of one.
THOU SHALT NOT FAKE EVIDENCE.
This one is a no brainer. It is hard enough to be taken seriously in the paranormal field, make sure that your data is legitimate. A lot of things you see on the internet these days are only there to get interest, they aren't paranormal. It has created a plethora of people thinking that their misinterpreted natural event is paranormal, and it isn't paranormal. So whether you deliberately share it knowing it's false or you share it and you aren't experienced enough to know better, make sure what you share will stand up to peer review.
THOU SHALT BE SKEPTICAL.
Most of us paranormal investigators are believers. We have experiences that made us decide to be a paranormal investigator. What we still have however is a logical side that uses critical thinking to make sure what we are experiencing cannot be explained. Having a healthy skepticism keeps your data clean and the team balanced.
THOU SHALT LOOK FOR THE NORMAL BEFORE THOU PROCLAIM PARANORMAL.
Just like faking evidence and being skeptical, try to debunk or recreate what you experienced. You may find that in the heat of the moment you misinterpreted a natural event that is completely explainable and not paranormal at all. Learn the artifacts or false positives that your equipment can produce. Test out ways to recreate anomalies you saw with your eyes, chances are you may explain away the event.
THOU SHALT KNOW THY LIMITS.
Not everyone is cut out to be a paranormal investigator and that's okay. It is time consuming and thankless a lot of the time. If you find that you don't have the time or the inclination to do all the necessary work to help a client in their home, step back from it. Additionally if you are out there investigating and things get too deep or stressful, step back and regroup. Connecting with the energy in a location can be draining; take a break, snack, ground yourself, and center yourself.
THOU SHALT BE PROFESSIONAL AT ALL TIMES.
Have fun but be professional. I will be the first to tell you our team has fun, but when we need to get serious; we get serious. Don't leave out important steps to your investigation because you are too busy taking selfies or carrying on. Do the work, have the fun while doing it.
There are so many ways that we can create a high standard for what we do and I will be honest these 10 things are probably up there with the most important things. If you want someone to take you seriously, you have to be willing to take paranormal investigation seriously. It may be a hobby but most people take their hobbies very seriously because it is their passion. Don't be that guy, so follow the commandments.
Rebecca Boyer
Co-Founder/ Case Manager
Antietam Paranormal Society
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