Debunking
the Myths: The Modern Day Ghosthunter
by
Rachel Holland
(Brutarian,
Fall 03)
Who
are the modern day ghost hunters? Is there any such a thing as a
professional ghost hunter, namely somebody whose nine to five
consists of being a detector of all things specter? After all,
bounty hunters are out there picking up regular wage checks, as
the recent case involving fugitive Max Factor heir Andrew Luster
has shown. Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman
spectacularly nabbed Luster in Mexico after Luster performed a
vanishing act from his LA trial for a series of date rapes. Do
ghost hunters make a similar living?
As someone who was growing up when Ghostbusters hit the cinema,
I formed the naïve belief that whilst NOBODY believes in proton
packs, surely nowadays professional ghost hunters were out
there, hunting away with gimlet eyes, getting ready to report
back to us with the conclusive proof of ghosts (albeit minus the
proton
packs and slime). Assuming they exist, who are the modern day
ghost hunters? How do they go about their work? What equipment
are they using nowadays? Are they scientific professionals or
hobbyist amateurs? Or does the truth lie somewhere in between?
The
first myth regarding professional ghost hunters is that they
actually get paid. The modern day ghost hunter
works for love, not money. The people who are actively involved
in hunting for ghosts today fall broadly into two
categories: well known investigators (who also write about their
work), such as Loyd Auerbach, Jim Graczyk, Patti Starr and
Richard Southall, and the equally devoted investigators who make
up the membership to some of the 300 ghost hunting organizations
out there today. But neither group makes a living from their
actual ghost hunting.
Widely regarded as a leading authority on ghost hunting,
parapsychologist and author Loyd Auerbach, who's also a
consulting editor/writer for Fate magazine, warned me outright
that wage earning ghost hunters simply don't exist. "There
are parapsychologists, like myself, who focus primarily on field
investigations or 'ghost hunting' and there are some amateurs
who have made full time status by running ghost tours or
pre-paid membership organizations. But there is currently no
funding for spending one's time doing such investigations and
the cases pay relatively little (and often nothing at
all)", Loyd explains - a viewpoint echoed by most other
ghost hunters. "We are all just everyday people with
regular jobs", adds Karen Travis-Eaddy, a member of the
South Jersey Ghost Research Organization, based in New York and
Pennsylvania."Ghost hunting is something that we do because
we have questions about the paranormal and have the drive to
pursue a deeper understanding. We're a non-profit organization
doing what we do because we love it".
But it's not only enthusiasm that drives them on; there's also a
clear need for their services. Who are these clients?
"Clients come from all walks of life. Anybody who believes
they have a legitimate haunting could call. People who have made
renovations on an older house or live near a location that has
significance of some sort are the most frequent type of
client", explains Richard Southall, author of ' How to Be a
Ghost Hunter' (Llewellyn). "Hauntings are caused mostly by
either a repetitious action (such as looking out of a window) or
a very traumatic event (say, a Civil War battle or a murder)
being ingrained into an area. Renovating an area tends to
'recharge' the impression", Southall continues. Jim Graczyk,
author of 'A Field Guide to Chicago Hauntings' (Whitechapel)
says, "The majority of people who contact us are the
general public. They may give us a lead on a business that may
be haunted if they work at that location. Otherwise, it's your
basic home or apartment that may have some activity going on and
they call us to set up an investigation".
Todd Roll, lead investigator for the Wausau Paranormal Research
Society adds that his clients include factory
workers, college professors and small business owners,
"anybody who believes they have experienced a ghost",
he
says. "Mostly our clients are just home owner's who have
experienced something strange in their home and want to
know what is going on. With business owners it's a crap shoot.
Some of them don't want the public to know they
have a ghost and others are looking for us to certify that they
have a 'haunted' business. Any publicity is good
publicity, don't you know. But if we don't find any evidence of
a haunting then that is what we’ll tell the owner:
"Sorry,
but we cannot confirm that your business is haunted",
explains Todd.
Patti Starr, President of Ghost Chasers International, has a
wide variety of clients that include businesses, hotels,
restaurants, museums, historic landmarks, cemeteries, as well as
private apartments and homes. "Most of the time,
they just want to know if the disturbance they are experiencing
really is paranormal - or whether we can find a
logical explanation", she adds.
Chad Lewis, a Paranormal Investigator based in Wisconsin, also
hosts the television show 'Unexplained'. He has
been investigating the paranormal for nearly ten years. He
describes his average client: "The majority of people I
encounter with ghost cases are just normal, rational,
intelligent people who want some answers to what is
happening to them. They do not want to get rich off their
stories and are not seeking attention or fame. Many don't
want their names released for fear of ridicule. Many of them are
skeptics who never believed in the paranormal until
it happened to them. Some of the witnesses still don't believe
in the paranormal even after they have experienced it
first hand. Often they just want some reassurance that they are
not going crazy and that other people have
experienced similar phenomena. Many people have an emotional
investment in their belief system, which makes it
extremely difficult to adapt to new experiences".
So how exactly do modern day ghost hunters actually help their
clients? "The help is in the confirming or denying
the existence of a ghost", says Brandy Stark, founder of
the S.P.I.R.I.T.S. organization in Florida. "Most people
just
want to know if there is any validity to the experiences they
are having", she adds. "One of the biggest concerns
people have is whether or not the haunting can hurt them",
says Richard Southall. "If it is a ghost recording, I will
explain that in most cases this type of manifestation is
harmless". Karen Travis-Eaddy says the South Jersey Ghost
Research group aims to help people understand what they're
experiencing and to not be afraid. "We try to help
people understand that this phenomena is natural and part of our
existence", says Karen.
Loyd Auerbach mostly gets asked to help people actually DEAL
with the phenomena. "This may involve some form
of resolution; removing or stopping the phenomena", he
says. "However, we always make it clear that no one can
guarantee the removal of such things".
"Once people know what kind of a haunting it is, they
become more comfortable with living with the energy", says
Patti Starr. "If, however, they are not comfortable, then
we do a cleansing and prayer to help send the ghost away
from the earth's plane". Todd Roll tries to explain to
clients that there is no way to 'get rid of' a ghost. "We
tell them
the best thing they can do is learn to live with it. If this
fails, we'll direct the client to local clergy who will be
willing to
bless the home", he says.
The S.P.I.R.I.T.S organization, which does not perform exorcism,
uses more hands on methods of removing
unwanted visitors. "We try to empower the clients into
setting 'house rules'. Basically, we recommend they talk out
loud to the entity - ask it outright to leave. We also burn sage
and 'smudge the area', Brandy Stark explains.
Patti Starr uses a combination of psychics and credible
scientists on her investigations. Ron Kolek, founder of the
New England Ghost Project, uses a Franciscan Monk in his
investigations. "Religious exorcism and psychic
cleansing are also options available to our clients", he
says.
So what exactly does the actual 'hunting' involve? "A lot
of sitting around watching a TV monitor of an empty room or
hallway", says Todd Roll. "You spend countless hours
reviewing the tapes you recorded or the pictures you took",
Jim Graczyk adds. Chris Peterson, co-founder of the Utah Ghost
Hunters Society describes ghost hunting as "long
hours spent after dark in places most people wouldn't be caught
dead in".
Richard Southall explains the process of ghost hunting.
"It's really like working a puzzle where a few pieces are
missing. Over time, with perseverance, the pieces tend to fall
into place. Firstly, you interview the people who report
the haunting in order to find consistencies and patterns. You
have to determine if the person is performing a hoax
or misinterpreting a natural phenomenon", Southall says.
Loyd Auerbach adds that these interviews become an
ongoing process throughout the investigation. "It is the
experiences of the witnesses that drive our investigations
and determine our goals", he says.
The next step is the research. Southall usually starts in a
local courthouse or library that may have documentation
related to the haunting (newspaper clippings, official documents
etc). "Specifically, I look for obituaries, previous
owners of the place, what may have been standing on the site
before the current building, any news stories of foul
play etc. After you've got the background info, it's time for
the on-site investigation". This is where the equipment
comes in.
Ghost hunting equipment generally falls into three categories,
says Southall. Firstly, we use equipment to capture
images such as 35mm cameras and video cameras. Secondly, we use
various recording devices to capture sound.
And lastly, we use equipment to capture changes in temperature
and electromagnetic energy such as Geiger
counters and infrared thermal probes.
Technology plays an ambiguous role in ghost hunting. The
Tri-Field Natural Electro Magnetic detector, originally
designed to detect environmental pollution, is proving useful at
detecting unusual magnetic fluctuations. "Such
equipment does not detect ghosts per se, but it is useful in
looking for physical correlations", says Auerbach.
"However, even with a Tri-Field Natural EM Meter, one
cannot determine from a reading the source of the anomaly,
one can only rule things out", he adds.
Patti Starr uses the Trifield to detect radio waves, static
electricity and basically filter out man-made currents
(interference from computers, fans, and air conditioning and
electricity sources). "I also use five different cameras at
a time", she says. "I use a digital Nikon 950 3.2
Pixel, a 3-D camera with double lenses, a Cannon 35 mm, a Bell
Howell 35 mm, and a Polaroid instant shot. I get pretty excited
when I get the same anomaly show up in the different
cameras", adds Patti, who also penned 'Ghost Hunting in
Kentucky' (McClanahan).
Polaroid and digital cameras are favored for their instant
results ending the anxious wait to develop film as the
images can be examined on the spot. "Most of the equipment
can be found lying around a person's house. If a
person decided to start from scratch, they could get a basic kit
together for as little as $100", says Richard Southall.
"In fact, one of the most impressive ghost photos I've ever
seen was taken by a disposable camera".
Chris Peterson agrees, "There are a lot of people right now
trying to sell all kinds of ghost hunting equipment. The
truth is 99% of it is a waste of money. Most people spend a
great deal of time and money on equipment they don't
even know how to use. Here's over twenty years of experience
talking. Get a camera and a tape recorder and call it
good. Don't waste your money on sensors and gadgets. Infrared
equipment? People tell me all the time "Well, even
if infrared doesn't find a ghost, it will still let you see in
the dark". I tell them "Sure, you drop a thousand
bucks in
infrared to see in the dark and I'll use a flashlight for a buck
ninety-nine".
Technology has its downside, as well. Photographic software,
such as Adobe Photoshop, has made hoaxes easier
to perpetrate. Digital cameras have a knack for picking up orbs
of light. Whilst some believe they are the
manifestation of spirits, others put it down to serious lens
refraction. "There are a lot of people out there skulking
around in dark places taking pictures of little dots of light
and calling themselves 'ghost hunters'", says Ron Kolek.
"Reliance on cameras and recorders to capture paranormal
phenomena is a relatively new thing", says Loyd
Auerbach. "More related to the growth of the amateur groups
than to what parapsychological field researchers have
been doing. This is because of the enormous potential for
false hits on tape, film and digital media, without the
ability to rule out any of the causes of such false
anomalies".
Chad Lewis elaborates: "I use a lot of equipment during a
ghost investigation (4 track audio recorders, digital and
High 8 video recorders, motion detectors etc). However, it is
still speculative to say whether ANY of these devices
actually help pick up ghosts. Coming from a science based
research background, I am extremely skeptical of
unsubstantiated claims. Basically, I just use it to try to rule
out any conventional explanations for the phenomena".
Constantly having to deflect references to Ghostbusters, the
real life ghost hunters have mixed feelings towards
Hollywood's sensational approach to the paranormal. When movies
like The Amityville Horror and Poltergeist were
becoming blockbusters in the late 70s and early 80s, it provoked
dramatic media interest in hitherto unknown
investigators. Auerbach remembers fending off journalists that
begged him to show them haunted houses. "The first
thing I'd ask is "Do you know how badly funded
parapsychology is? Do you know how little respect we get from
the
other sciences? If I could take you to a house where stuff is
flying around all the time, do you think that would be
happening?". But press interest has evolved since then, now
the journalists are asking questions such as mine, "So
what do you guys really do?".
Not all ghost hunters are as media friendly as Auerbach, who has
gone on to become Director of the Office of
Paranormal Investigations, former President of the California
Society for Psychical Study, regularly appearing on TV
and radio. Many ghost hunters are understandably wary of media
probing and fear coming across as cranks or
worse, money-making scammers. They are often at pains to point
out that they investigate hauntings out of their
own pockets. "Sometimes we have to travel far and pay the
gas and hotel costs ourselves", says Jim Graczyk.
Although Auerbach doesn't make his living directly from ghost
hunting, he will occasionally charge a nominal fee for
investigations, usually no more than $150. "This is
partly because of the educational aspects of what we do",
he
says. "We provide what is almost a mini-course in
parapsychology for clients". Interestingly, the
people most willing
and eager to pay something are those with the least money. Rich
folks bristle at having to pay anything to
'researchers' or 'scientists', even though they have no problem
shelling out to psychics", Auerbach adds.
Chris Peterson believes that ghost hunters who ask for money
should be avoided. "The problem is this", he
explains, "If they don't turn up evidence of a ghost, they
don't get paid. They're liable to accept anything as 'proof'
and will try to convince you of it, too. Those of us who don't
get paid to find a ghost have no problem telling anyone
'I've looked, I just don't find anything'".
Loyd Auerbach: "This is something I disagree with to a
point. Ghost hunters who ask for LOTS of money, usually
justified by touting how much expensive equipment they bring to
the case, should definitely be avoided. However,
sometimes NOT charging invalidates one's professional standing
and even causes the people you're trying to help
to ignore your findings and advice. If the 'value' of an
investigator and the investigation were dependent on finding
evidence, then many of us wouldn't even try to help people.
The truth is that in many cases, it may turn out that the
clients were mistaken (though still afraid), or that fraud was
involved (one family member fooling the others). How
much help we provide for people - and how effective we are as
investigators of the paranormal - is absolutely
independent of whether one turns up 'evidence' of a ghost",
Auerbach insists.
Regardless of the issue of charging for their services, ghost
hunters are living proof of the rule 'don't give up the
day job'. In his other life, Todd Roll works as a reference
librarian at a college in Wisconsin. Jim Graczyk earns his
daily bread as a bodyguard, whilst studying for a Masters degree
in Education. Loyd Auerbach also performs as
Professor Paranormal, dazzling his audiences with a variety of
psychic entertainment and mind-reading effects.
Chris Peterson works in the transportation industry - his fellow
ghost hunters consist of blue collar workers, doctors,
lawyers and police officers; Patti Starr teaches ghost hunting
courses at a Community College in Kentucky. Richard
Southall works as a consultant for a vocational rehabilitation
company; Brandy Stark is also a successful artist and
college lecturer; Chad Lewis works as a grant writer/planner for
a non-profit organization.
How did their interest in ghosts develop? "Ghost hunting
actually chose me", says Richard Southall. "When I was
a
teenager, we would periodically hear the sound of heavy boots
coming down the stairs. There were cold spots that
would appear out of nowhere. On one occasion, an actual
apparition was seen", Southall explains. "So, I did
some
investigating and found out that this was a 'recording' of a
soldier who had passed through the area".
Brandy Stark also had a first hand experience of a ghost:
"When I was in my early twenties, I was awakened by a
wonderful aroma of flowers and an intense feeling of peace. Four
hours later, I was told that my grandmother had
died. She was letting me know it was OK, she was OK".
Brandy went on to study for a Religious Studies Masters Degree,
writing about 'the evolving role of ghosts
throughout Ancient History' for her MA thesis. "Ghosts can
be found in the earliest epics (Gilgamesh), the Central
High Middle Ages, and right through to the modern era. They're
found in every culture", she says. "Ghosts play an
important role in religion, offering proof of life after death
and the existence of a soul".
Brandy's current home is also 'mildly haunted'. She describes
the experience: "I kept feeling a sensation of being
watched and disapproved of. It was a sensation of annoyance and
included episodes where my dogs started to bark
at nothing. The culmination of it was when I actually saw a
single mist in my living room. It hovered in the middle of
the room, but wasn't affected by the fan that was on. That
morning, my dogs had been whining, something they
never usually do. I hadn't been cooking, the windows weren't
open and yet there was this spiral of thick, pure white
smoke or mist in the room. I remember being cross because I had
no witnesses and there was no equipment in the
room with me. I went around checking nothing was on fire and
when I came back it had gone".
Did she unravel the mystery? "Whenever I'd been working on
my computer in the evenings, I'd get this image in my
mind of an angry old woman. Usually around 10.30 pm. The image
was quite specific: long, thin fingers; very pale
hair; hunched back. I asked around the neighborhood and was told
about the former owner of my house, who had
lived here in the 70s. She was thin, pale and had a hump caused
by osteoporosis. Apparently, she went to bed very
early. The neighbors would hear her yelling at her housemate who
liked to stay up late. The yelling started at.....you
guessed it, around 10.30 pm".
What did Brandy do about it? "Simple. I put the computer in
a different room and the phenomena stopped
completely. Some S.P.I.R.I.T. group members who are sensitive
tell me she is still here but is placated and pretty
mild. I still get the occasional feeling of being watched,
especially when I have a friend in", she says.
Chad Lewis's curiosity for the unknown developed out of his
studies in psychology, bringing a Masters Degree in
Applied Psychology to the table. "I first started
researching the paranormal to investigate the duality of belief
in the
paranormal. If these things are real and happening, then we must
try to answer the salient questions that
Humankind has always asked itself - are we alone? What happens
after death? If these things are NOT real, then
we must investigate what it is about human belief systems and
perception that causes people to believe whatever
they felt they experienced".
How do the ghost hunters feel about the view that they are
'dabbling with the unknown' and the various religious
attitudes that condemn such interest? Richard Southall, whilst
respectful towards other peoples' religious views, has
this to say: "Since I believe that most hauntings are
simply recordings, I highly recommend that an investigator
should try to help that spirit move on or become 'unstuck'.
Spirits are usually encountered when one of four events
have taken place: the person died so suddenly that they do not
realize that they are dead; they have 'unfinished
business' or an unkept promise, they want to protect or keep an
eye on a loved one; or they are actually kept back
by loved ones who are grieving".
He continues: "As for dabbling with the unknown, one
practice I do not condone is the use of a ouija board. I believe
that they are simply asking for trouble. I consider ouija boards
to be a beacon for entities to come forward".
"I believe that all the talk about evil spirits is a load
of bunk", says Todd Roll. "The paranormal is just that
part of
nature which we don't yet understand. It's not filled with
demons and evil spirits, but rather with measurable natural
phenomena. There is enough evil in the flesh and blood world
already. We don't need to go conjuring up anymore",
he adds.
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