7 Signs of Paranormal Activity

Experiencing highly strange or unexplainable events is simply part of the human experience. If you start asking around, you will find almost everyone has a story or two.

After reading and writing about event phenomena of high strangeness for years, I've come to the conclusion that in most cases, there is likely a missing piece of information, which, if known, would likely be the key to making sense of the whole thing, negating a paranormal cause.

However, sometimes people experience recurrent events. This allows time for finding that key, missing piece of information. If none can be found, there is a possibility that 'true' paranormal activity may be at work.

There are many things that may indicate what is considered to be paranormal activity. Below, I've chosen seven of the most common and oft-reported signs. They are divided into three broad categories: anomalous sensory events, synchronicities, and physical phenomena.

Anomalous sensory events

1. Seeing things

This is arguably the most common and reported paranormal sign. So common, in fact, that the phrase itself, "seeing things" is a heavily coded rhetorical device used to convey a dismissal of the experiences of someone who is convinced they are steeped in paranormal activity.

Visual anomalies are not necessarily to be dismissed, however. Although investigation will likely reveal a mundane explanation, that's not always the case; some things do go unexplained, and are eventually deemed paranormal in origin.

Common things seen are: irregular shadow formations (sometimes even with a human appearance,) energetic light manifestations (or auras,) UFOs, strange mists, and movement in the peripheral vision.

2. Auditory anomalies

Unusual sounds are also a common sign of possible paranormal activity. Hearing speech, music, bells, knockings, footsteps, scratching, meowing or barking (in the absence of an animal), breathing, crying, etc. are all commonly reporting in "hauntings" as well as isolated phenomena. If this is an ongoing event, such noise origins may be one of the easiest things to investigate.

3. Anomalous smells

Smells are very commonly reported in association with paranormal events. Perfume is probably the most common. Sulfur has associated with UFO sightings. However, the various smells seem to be individualized. This is one sign that is likely accompanying other phenomena, and if it is present consistently, it may be a sign something out of the ordinary is going on.

Synchronicities

4. Precognition

Dreams that foretell future events, knowing who is calling when the phone rings, images of future scenarios, unexplained certain knowledge of outcomes, and even information gained through the use of divinatory devices such as pendulums, meditations, tarot cards, etc., falls under this sign of paranormal activity.

In many cases, predicting future events doesn't require much more than common sense and probabilities, and in some cases, simple guesswork. To determine if precognition is paranormal in nature, think documentation and details.

Keep some kind of journal, blog, video log, or notebook, and record the foretelling event using as many details as possible. Be sure to record the date and time of the entry.

5. Uncanny or highly meaningful coincidences

Volumes have been written on extreme, weird, seemingly impossible sets of circumstances that lead to miraculous, or at least, highly improbable outcomes. We all likely have a story or two. For example, once, in high school, a kid was telling my friend and I a story about how he caught a fly in his hand in his last class. As he made the motion, showing us how he did it, he caught another fly!

His reaction was one of extreme surprise, and he completely freaked out. There was no way this was a trick of any kind. Was it paranormal? No, it was just highly improbable and coincidental. This is a very minor example, of course, and used to show pure coincidence.

Other experiences are sometimes loaded with meaning and importance, and seem to have a feel of cosmic or unconscious orchestration. But is it paranormal? Perhaps, but a better question may be: does it matter ultimately?

Physical Phenomena

6. Objects moving or changing without explanation

Almost everyone has had the experience of misplacing something, searching thoroughly, and then discovering the item in a place you know you looked. Although weird, there's probably nothing paranormal at work.

However, if these types of things happen consistently, it may be worth some extra mindfulness to rule out simple forgetfulness or inattention. If you are able to document the entire experience somehow, there may be a paranormal effect.

There are a number of things that fall under this sign of paranormal activity: temperature or atmospheric fluctuations, items rearranged, appliances turning off or on, etc.

7. Anomalous phenomena on film or audio

While this seems like it may be similar to the first sign of "seeing things", it is actually different. There are theories that unexplained phenomena captured on film, video, or tape may be a purposeful, direct manipulation of the media itself by unknown intelligences.

This idea is somewhat supported by scores of good photographs and recordings of UFOs, ghostly apparitions, and EVPs (Electric Voice Phenomena: recordings made with the intention of capturing etheric voices and sounds) that were obtained without being observed or perceived by the people present.

While many things can be checked off as a human proclivity for "paredolia"-a patterns perceived from randomness (the Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich being an example)-sometimes the phenomena is so chronic or poignant that a paranormal explanation is offered.

The Bottom Line

Within the subject of the paranormal, nothing is clearly defined-that's the very nature of it. Researchers, investigators, and experiencers are notoriously frustrated by elusiveness and liminality. Trying to get to the bottom of things often leads to only more perplexing situations and questions.

Because of this, it is difficult to determine for certain when something is mundane, or when it's paranormal. The truth is, although the word paranormal has come to be synonymous with "magical," it might be more apt to think of it as "profoundly mysterious."

Recalling that idea of missing information I pointed to at the beginning, we can be certain there are dynamics about quantum physics, consciousness, and biology that we do not yet understand-and that we may never be privy. We don't have whole story about how the universe works, and because we are participants and cannot become unbiased external observers, there are going to be discrepancies and gaps in our perception and understanding of reality.

So, if you find yourself experiencing one or more of the above seven signs of paranormal activity on a continuing basis, investigate as best you can to find mundane explanations, because that is likely the cause.

However, if you do find yourself without an explanation, a paranormal one might be involved. And remember that you can make what you will of it-there's a lot to be said for respecting and accepting the archetypal notion of mystery that is at the heart of the paranormal.