Is Paranormal Investigation Just a Hobby?
I have seen a lot of individuals and teams pop up over the years and to be honest the people that just want to experience something don't last as paranormal investigators. They either move into a "show biz" type of interest in the paranormal, they become the hardcore skeptic, or they just disappear. Recently I saw a guy that is on a streaming paranormal television show say that "people were too serious about the paranormal it's just a hobby".... To him I say, you obviously don't have a real hobby if you don't understand. Have you ever talked to an avid fisherman about his lures, fishing rod, or his belief of catch-and-release? Or a gardener about their inherited plants? What about sports fans who go to all the games? These folks are SERIOUS. Isn't it the same as our interest in the paranormal? Over time I personally have developed a desire to really research the paranormal and all the associated studies. Who knows maybe I will be up there with William James some day, one can hope you know. But with those studies I want to do things right. I want to learn and I want to educate, but in order to do both of those things I need to make sure that all the information is as validated as possible.
Regardless of whether you think this is a hobby or not, it should be taken seriously. As society has moved away from religion and spirituality, they will seek out things like the paranormal that call to them in some way. I don't think people understand that the wrong spirit attachment or unhealthy spiritual practices can lead to negative outcomes. It may seem like fun and games or a thrill, but in reality the negative energy can impact your day to day life. Have you noticed that many people involved in the paranormal seem to have health concerns? Cancer, organ failure, chronic illness... It has been theorized that frequent exposure and connecting with spirits causes physical ailments. Is it because of the etheric cords investigators are creating? Are they creating blockages with negative energy in their energy meridians? This may seem like a far-fetched theory but if you read about energy healing, you will find there are scientific studies that support all of these claims. What if the ailments are not a side effect of connecting with spirit, but what if they are just a symptom of extrasensory perception that is going undetected? As you see, I have so many questions.
For those of you reading this that don't subscribe to the more woo-woo subjects involving the paranormal, I pose the idea that being serious about the paranormal generates a better approach to collecting "evidence". Someone who doesn't necessarily take paranormal investigating seriously may not care about documenting where someone was during the night or won't document known sounds in a location, so they misinterpret natural events. I find that most people use digital voice recorders to obtain their best data, but what if because they aren't serious, all of their findings can be easily explained? What if they spend their time on their cell phone with a REM Pod, getting all the responses when they are texting back and forth or posting on social media? How about the fun times of a well known ghost tour company taking a group of would-be ghost hunters over a bridge with dowsing rods and exclaiming "OMG the bridge is haunted"? IYKYK. Being serious about paranormal investigation means that you dot your i's and cross your t's. If you can debunk or find a natural explanation, you will attempt it. You will do your due diligence and document known variables or conditions. To be serious means that you will acknowledge that certain things are explainable and "throw them out". You won't go on a television show and use expired information or tout fraudulent claims. I see many teams or individuals putting their hard work and efforts into raising money for historic locations or charities.
I am editing my original blog to include this point, if you are going into people's homes or businesses to provide a service of diagnosing or collecting evidence of the paranormal, it's not just a hobby. There is a level of needed liability and confidentiality that is required as well as a professionalism that may not be present in other hobbies. I have often thought when people say "it's just for fun", what about the client that is afraid to live in their home? Is it just for fun for them? I am not sure I want individuals that consider paranormal investigation a hobby or "just for fun" investigating my home, nor do I want them representing my business in any way.
Being serious means that you have standards. You create protocols for clean data. In turn if you have the dedication and motivation to follow through on all of these during your research and investigation, isn't that more serious than just a hobby? More like a calling to find answers? Is paranormal investigation just an enjoyable leisure activity that we engage in voluntarily and consistently when we are free from the demands of work or other responsibilities? Or is it a field of serious research and observation that may not always be leisurely or fun? I leave that up to you, but I will say that some of us are serious and some of us aren't.
Co-Founder/ Case Manager
Antietam Paranormal Society
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