Ghosts and Things for Beginners

Are you a new ghost hunter or just curious about ghosts and the paranormal? This short guide will help you learn about a few of the different types of paranormal phenomena as well as how to rule out normal things that could be causing the possible paranormal activity.

I'm going to start with Orbs. I myself am not a fan of orbs as I think most of them are caused by dust, moisture, bugs etc. Most orbs are not seen by the naked eye, rather they are picked up by cameras. Two other common causes are sun flare and reflection off something. Any time you aim towards the sun your are most likely going to get sun flare. It looks like stop signs usually, in many colors. It can also look like a mist, usually a purple or pink color. Reflections are also a common cause of what appears to be orbs. Most any surface can cause a reflection, even varnished wood. Keep this in mind when taking photos. There are websites all about orbs and they have lots of example photos. The only thing I can say about orbs is you will have to decide for yourself if you believe they are paranormal.

Ecto - Mist / Ectoplasm - This is another one I have a problem with. Most of the photos of what is supposed to be ecto -mist I believe is either cigarette smoke, breath or mist. When the weather is either very cold or very humid there is a mist in the air, though we may not be able to see it ourselves. Cameras however will pick that mist up, especially the flash. That is what most people think is ecto -mist. Another cause is your breath. No matter how careful you are not to breathe out while taking pics, you never know what the people next to you are doing. Unless you can be positive your friends are not breathing out and you're not either, be wary of any mist that occurs in your photos. Also, the same principal applies here as for the orb theory. Reflection and sun flare have both been mistaken for ecto -mist. Any building that has a furnace or some kind of machinery running could be releasing a mist, as well as cars passing by.

Apparitions / Shadow people - One problem with ghost hunting at night is the huge risk for shadows. Make sure you know where anyone that may be with you is at all times ( and be on the lookout for other people that may come up) and be familiar with what is around you. Things like furniture, drapes and so on can cause shadows. A good thing to do is be aware of where any lights are and walk around to see if you make a shadow yourself. Pass your flashlights around and check for them that way too. You can save some trouble by eliminating any shadows you may be causing. Also look for cars passing by as that can make shadows move across the walls.

Strange noises/voices/footsteps - It's very important to make sure again that you know where everyone is. Depending on where you are there could be many causes of noises or voices. Other than a live person, you could be hearing a radio or TV. Rule these out right after you make sure there are no other people around that you could be hearing. Heating pipes and appliances can make all kinds of noise so do a good check for anything of that type. Noises from homes or businesses nearby need to be ruled out as well. Don't forget about the possible hiss from power lines or transformers also. It's not heard as often as it used to be, but in rural areas with older wiring it's still a possibility. Another thing is sound can travel quite a way especially in cold weather, so keep that in mind if you are in a heavily populated area or there are any factories, train tracks, concert arenas or anything like that around. Digital voice recorders can pick up amazing amounts of noise you may not hear yourself such as wind.

Objects moved - This should be an easy one. Ask those in your home if they have moved the item first. If the item is on furniture, make sure it can't be moved if the furniture is bumped against. If it's on the floor, make sure it's out of the walkway and can't be kicked or brushed against.

This is by no means a full list of paranormal activity or a full list of what to look for as far as ruling out things that could be causing what you are seeing or hearing. It is just a short guide to give you ideas of what to look for as far as the most common possible paranormal activity that's usually reported. The main thing is to check out every possibility you can think of before you make your decide if it's paranormal or not.