My Personal Views on Paranormal Investigation
Long ago I realized that it was a futile effort to prove the existence of the paranormal. No matter how many pictures I took, hours of video I filmed, and the number of EVP’s I recorded, none of these actions would ever give conclusive proof of the existence of ghosts. For me, the study of the paranormal had to become one of personal exploration, not one of scientific endeavor. Now, this doesn’t mean I quit trying to explain how or why ghosts exist. I just quit trying to prove it to others.
I consider the study of the paranormal to be a pseudoscience. Not because I think the paranormal community is pursuing a false course of study. I call it a pseudoscience because it is impossible to study the paranormal without involving some element of belief. I know many investigators say they are using a scientific method, but in reality, the paranormal community is trying to prove existence after death. Man has endeavored to prove the existence of the human soul for thousands of years. So no matter what means we employ, we are still discussing something that has to be taken upon faith to justify.
I have been very fortunate that my pursuits have allowed me the opportunity to investigate some remarkable places. I don’t necessarily consider myself a paranormal investigator, but more of an Urban Explorer. I have a fascination with the lost and forgotten aspects of our society. Nothing stirs my curiosity more than an abandoned building. I admit my views about trespassing are very liberal, and the paranormal community considers trespassing an unmentionable sin. Personally, trespassing is a sin that I am willing to commit to satisfy my curiosity.
My willingness to trespass doesn’t mean that I don’t seek the truth. It just means that I am more willing to do whatever it takes to find it. This combination of Urban Explorer and Ghost Hunter has skewed my perception. It has allowed me the opportunity to gain a unique insight into how a site becomes haunted. I am not constrained by the self-serving rules of the paranormal community. I know that many investigators would consider my actions are damaging to the paranormal community. But the places that I trespass upon are not the places most ghost hunters would ever consider investigating. I study the places that do not allow an investigator the time, or the safety to sit up and monitor equipment. These places by their very nature strip away the gadgets and force you to rely upon your ingenuity.
Since I can’t rely upon gadgetry for my answers, I am forced to keep detailed journals of my experiences. As I study my field notes, I’m starting to find similarities between the different hauntings I have witnessed. Most straight-laced investigators are lucky to go on five investigations a year. Urban Exploration has allowed me at times to do several a month. This increased exposure has allowed me to cheat the system and gain a vast amount of experience in a shorter period of time.
