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Ghost Hunting Dilemmas

© Janice Oberding

What kind of ghost hunter are you? The first time I was asked this question, it caught me unaware. But, after thinking about it a while I realized that yes there are many types of ghost hunters out there. While success often eludes me, the organized ghost hunter is the type I most often strive to be. Being organized helps to keep the problems minimal. But this doesn’t mean ghost hunters won't run into them from time to time.

As any organized ghost hunter will tell you, any site that is scheduled for an investigation should be thoroughly researched. The last thing your group needs is a surprise on the night of the investigation. A few years back I planned an on site investigation of a private residence. After meeting with the residents three separate times, and agreeing on a specific date and time, I called in a team. With our cameras, recorders, and all other tools of the trade we converged on the house. Surprise! The residents had changed their minds about allowing an investigation. It seems a friend of a friend was a psychic, so they'd decided to allow him " to do the investigation exclusively."

Naturally, the team was disappointed and angry, but this is what we sometimes deal with. Another real difficulty in ghost hunting is getting the group organized, motivated, and on the move. I have seen some fabulous ghost investigation opportunities lost simply because members of a group couldn't coordinate with each other. If one person, is available, chances are, two others aren't. Frustrating at times, getting the group in action is one of the biggest problems faced by many investigation leaders.

The clash of personalities can often be heard louder than the sound of clicking cameras on many ghost investigations. Celebrities like Sylvia Brown, John Edward and James Van Praag are especially gifted individuals who have acquired loyal followings. Perhaps this is the reason that some people will join an investigation team claiming to be "sensitive to the spirits". That's great! Until one senses something about the spirit world that another "sensitive" disagrees with. I've seen people come close to fisticuffs over who knows more about, or is closer to, the spirit world. Hey! We're all learning here!

Hopefully the group will disagree in a constructive manner. Let's not lose site of our objectives. Whether it is technique, equipment, or beliefs, ghost hunters have just as much right to disagree with one another, as any one else does. Besides, we may just learn more about ghost hunting through our friendly disagreements. Happy Ghosting!