How to Hunt Ghosts: A Practical Guide - Softcover

Warren, Joshua P.

 
9780743234931: How to Hunt Ghosts: A Practical Guide
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0743234936 ISBN 13: 9780743234931
Verlag: Atria, 2003

Inhaltsangabe

In How to Hunt Ghosts, paranormal researcher Joshua P. Warren teaches the novice ghost hunter the basics, which above all include treating the paranormal as any other scientific field: one requiring well-documented research and hard evidence. This unique guide breaks down the theories, explains the tools of the trade, and even offers forms to facilitate your investigation. Peppered with anecdotes from Warren's personal experience, How to Hunt Ghosts offers answers to such questions as:

• What is a ghost?
• How does a ghost interact with the world?
• Where can you find a haunted house?
• Why do people usually see ghosts at night?
• How do you record a ghostly encounter?

If you suspect you live in a haunted house and want to exorcise a ghost or attempt spectral communication, or if you are interested in pursuing a career as a ghost hunter or are simply curious about the paranormal, this intriguing and informative guide is for you.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Joshua P. Warren is the founder and president of the L.E.M.U.R. paranormal research team. A widely consulted expert, Warren has appeared on The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, Coast to Coast A.M., and most major TV and radio networks or affiliates. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and can be reached at www.HowToHuntGhosts.com.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Chapter One: What is a Ghost?

Also called spirits, phantoms, wraiths, visions, shades, specters, haints, and apparitions, we can loosely define a ghost as some paranormal aspect of the physical form and/or mental presence that appears to exist apart from the original physical form. The word appears is integral to the definition. Most ghostly encounters are evaluated by the five physical senses alone. This makes most information about ghosts subjective (dependent upon an observer's limited perception). One must be careful about drawing conclusions based upon subjective evidence. Objective evidence (dependent upon external, unbiased measurement, equally obtainable by all) is the pillar of scientific knowledge. Don't jump to conclusions based on subjective data. If you don't rule out the conventional, someone else will. Then, you look foolish.

You and I might never agree on the taste of a chocolate bar. What I consider a pleasurable taste might send you gagging. And so whose perception of the candy bar is correct? Does the chocolate taste good or bad? How can I say that my tongue has priority over yours, or vice versa? I could say that most people agree with me, but that still doesn't mean I'm inherently correct. There was a time when most people in the United States believed slavery was okay. However, the perception of the majority can change over time. The taste of a food is an example of subjective information. Its value is limited by someone's unique interpretation.

On the other hand, if we find a set of scales and agree upon its accuracy, we suddenly have mutual faith in this independent tool. Though our sensory perspectives are unique, the scales give us a common and definite standard by which to document reality. For instance, if we place the candy bar on the scales, it should be virtually impossible for us to disagree on its weight. This is an example of objective evidence. It is based on external measurement, and should be equally obtainable by all. The scientific method is founded on using objective evidence to establish a set of facts about any given phenomenon. Though this is the best way to conduct true science, it too has its faults. Information gathered in this way is only as valid as the tools and procedures used to gain it.

The task of defining a ghost is somewhat complicated because it can blur the line between a subjective experience and an objective event. Defining a ghost in words is one thing. But defining a ghost in reality is a bit more difficult. What exactly qualifies as "ghostly"? How about a light in the kitchen that switches itself on and off at random? Is that the product of a ghost? Is it the work of a physically dead human? Or is it the product of something else entirely, maybe something as simple as a faulty switch? How about an isolated patch of icy air, mysteriously moving about in an otherwise sweltering room? Is this some aspect of a human spirit? Or is it some rare and bizarre quirk in the atmospheric condition? Any of these events, by itself, may or may not be considered ghostly. But what if, on the other hand, that light blinks in a kitchen where your dead grandmother used to spend her day? Or what if that frigid patch of air floats in a room where your brother killed himself? Suddenly, do these events take on new possible meaning?

When primitive man first watched bits of iron lurch at magnets, surely it was considered ghostly. But ghostly activity is not always caused by a ghost. Likewise, a ghost does not always cause ghostly activity. Lots of spectral manifestations surround us each day, hidden in realms outside of naked human perception. A sharp mind is necessary to process all possibilities.

Webster's defines a ghost as "a disembodied human spirit." But that definition is far too narrow. Animals, as well as inanimate objects like ships and automobiles, also have ghosts. For example, The Flying Dutchman is a phantom vessel seen sailing the Cape of Good Hope for nearly two centuries. Almost every product of our living existence has been witnessed, at some point, as a spectral manifestation. Therefore, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Humans have been experiencing things they cannot explain for thousands of years. Most of the world's religions are based on the concept of a spiritual world, or an invisible dimension of existence that transcends our own. Even in the Holy Bible, chilling phantasmal encounters are described, like this passage from the Book of Job (4:15): "Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up."

However, despite the centuries of "ghostly encounters," such episodes are still considered unexplained. This is precisely why science is necessary. If we are to grow in our understanding, we must use the tools of our newest technologies to separate documented facts from rumor and myth. Despite what some may believe, there is indeed scientific evidence that ghostly manifestations are real. In this manual, we will focus on such evidence and the techniques for obtaining it. However, when it comes to investigating these matters, data alone cannot further our understanding. It is necessary for you, as an investigator, to interpret the data in relation to many historical, emotional, theoretical, and altogether psychological variables that might influence the meaning of your findings. Again, remember the example of the blinking kitchen light. The activity alone may seem insignificant, but in context with the location's history, the phenomenon may gain new meaning.

Ghost investigators often witness and document unexplainable events. However, proving that such activity is the product of a ghost is a different task. Witnessing a variety of bizarre activity is one matter; connecting the dots to prove such activity falls within the category of ghostly can be a different matter. Let me clarify:

I once investigated a haunted New Orleans mansion where heavy footsteps could be heard thumping up and down the wooden stairs at night. The owner of the home, a sweet, silver-haired woman, wasn't bothered by the activity. "You may call them a ghost, but to me they're just footsteps," she said. Indeed, she was right. And a recording of the phenomenon would be just as mundane -- just footsteps. Even if they were the product of spiritual activity, documented with the best of today's technology, what would that really prove? Even when you successfully document an unexplained phenomenon, it may not prove anything about the source of the activity. Therefore, if you don't document the activity scientifically, you can forget any chance that your data will be taken seriously.

Sometimes, though rarely, a ghostly manifestation is obvious: an apparition walking across the room or communicating in some way. On the other hand, it is often more subtle, yet equally intriguing. A brief, disembodied whisper in your ear, or a soft, fleeting touch on your back, can be just as amazing as an inexplicable mist swirling down a hallway. Clearly, your interpretation of such events must be thoughtful. But, again, to interpret information correctly, one must approach from an unquestionably objective perspective.

Just because you're studying extraordinary activity, that doesn't mean you should abandon ordinary logic. Always remember the scientific principle known as Occam's Razor: In order to define a fact, assume as little as possible. The simplest explanation for a phenomenon is usually the correct one, and the less you take for granted, the more solid your conclusions will be. Throughout the text, I will reiterate the importance of always taking this approach.

The pursuit of ghostly activity is often called "paranormal" research. The prefix para means "beyond." Therefore, the term refers to studying any events beyond the realm of normal occurrences. But how...

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Verlag
Atria
Erscheinungsdatum
2003
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
0743234936
ISBN 13 
9780743234931
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
256
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Nicht verfügbar
Verantwortliche Person
Simon and Schuster Netherlands BV
info@simonandschuster.nl

Herculesplein 96
Utrecht
3584 AA
Niederlande