A Paranormal Circus

I recently watched an episode of Paranormal Challenge, hosted by Zak Bagans.

I've always respected Zak as an investigator, and for the most part, I still do. That's probably why I was so surprised by my reaction to the show.

When it was over, I remember thinking...

"What in the world did I just watch?"

Is this really what ghost hunting has become?

A competition?

I'll admit, I wasn't a fan of the format.

Ghost hunting has spent decades trying to be taken seriously, and then along comes a show where teams compete against each other as if investigating the paranormal is some kind of game show.

That just doesn't sit right with me.

What bothered me even more was the way some of the teams handled the equipment.

In one episode, one of the investigators referred to technical equipment as "the thingy" and "the blinky thing."

Really?

That made me cringe a little.

Ghost hunting already has enough skeptics. If we're going to ask people to take investigations seriously, then we should probably know the names of the equipment we're using.

That doesn't mean someone has to be an expert.

Everyone starts somewhere.

But television has a way of shaping public perception, and when millions of people are watching, I think it's fair to expect investigators to have at least a basic understanding of the tools they're carrying.

Now, to be fair, I know reality television isn't real life.

Shows are edited.

Drama gets ratings.

And maybe the producers wanted entertainment more than investigation.

If that's the case, they certainly accomplished their goal.

It just wasn't the kind of paranormal television I enjoy watching.

I'd much rather watch investigators take their time, document evidence carefully, and admit when they don't have an explanation than watch people compete over who had the "better" ghost hunt.

Maybe that's just me.

Can Objects Become Haunted?

Can a ghost attach itself to an object?

Can an object record a powerful event that happened with or around it and replay that event over and over?

I've always found that idea fascinating.

Personally, I believe that, in rare circumstances, a ghost can become attached to an object. However, I think most reports of haunted objects are actually the result of something else.

One theory I've always found interesting is the idea of a residual haunting.

A residual haunting is thought to happen when an object, or even a home, absorbs the energy from an intense event and later "replays" it. Some people believe these events can replay randomly or at a certain time, on a certain day, or even every year under the same conditions.

The events most often associated with residual hauntings tend to be emotionally charged or violent. That's one reason battlefields are so often considered haunted. If residual hauntings are real, what people are witnessing may not be intelligent spirits at all, but echoes of something that happened long ago.

Almost like hitting replay.

Residual hauntings have always reminded me of an old recording. The people involved aren't aware they're being watched. They're simply reliving the same moment over and over again.

Some paranormal researchers have suggested that certain materials are better at holding onto energy than others. Limestone and quartz are two that come up quite often. Whether there's any truth to that, I honestly don't know, but it is interesting that many reportedly haunted locations are built with or around those materials. The Stanley Hotel is one example that's often mentioned.

If you're experiencing what seems to be paranormal activity and it follows the same pattern every single time, you might be dealing with a residual haunting rather than an intelligent one.

The same footsteps.

The same voice.

The same figure walking down the same hallway.

Over and over.

If that's the case, I don't think there's much to be afraid of. If residual hauntings really are just recordings, then they don't even know you're there.

If you recently brought home an antique from a flea market, pawn shop, or estate sale, you could always remove it and see if the activity changes.

Personally, though...

I've always found residual hauntings far more fascinating than frightening.

Ghosts were people too.

One thing I think we sometimes forget is that ghosts were people at one point.

That means they probably weren't all the same.

Just like the living, there would be kind spirits, grumpy spirits, sarcastic spirits, mischievous spirits, quiet spirits, and maybe even a few that are terrifying. We tend to lump all ghosts into one category, but people have never been that simple. Why would the afterlife be any different?

I know the paranormal can be unsettling because there's still so much we don't understand. But sometimes it helps me to remember that, if I'm dealing with the spirit of a person, then I'm probably dealing with...well...a person.

Someone with a personality.

Someone with a sense of humor.

Someone who had good days and bad days.

Someone like you. Or me.

Most ghosts probably aren't going to come floating down your hallway with blood dripping from a mangled stump while moaning,

"My leg! Where's my missing leg?!"

I mean...

Unless they think it's hilarious.

Why Do Thunderstorms Feel So Creepy?

Have you ever noticed that your house just feels a little creepier during a thunderstorm?

The floorboards seem to creak a little more. Shadows stretch across the walls. Every little noise suddenly has your full attention, and for just a split second, you wonder if someone whispered your name from the next room.

Most people would say it's just your imagination.

Maybe.

But what if there was another reason thunderstorms have earned such an eerie reputation?

Before we go any further, let's talk about something called EMF.

EMF stands for electromagnetic field, and it's something many paranormal investigators pay close attention to during investigations. Some even use devices called EMF pumps, which are designed to increase electromagnetic fields to see whether this affects reported paranormal activity.

Now let's get back to the storm.

Lightning generates powerful electromagnetic energy. During a thunderstorm, the atmosphere is literally crackling with electricity. I believe that spirits can draw energy from electromagnetic fields, so a thunderstorm would be like turning nature into one giant EMF pump.

Maybe that's why so many people report strange experiences during storms.

Personally, I like sitting outside during a storm. You can almost feel the energy in the air. 

Either way, if you've ever gotten the feeling that you weren't quite alone during a thunderstorm...

You might not be. 😉

Why Do So Many Cemetery Ghost Stories Involve Young People?

This is something I've wondered about for years.

In my experience and from the stories I've read over the years, it seems like many cemetery hauntings involve people who died in their mid-to-late teens or early twenties.

I've often wondered if there's a reason for that.

One theory I have is that, as young adults, we're much more attached to our physical bodies. At that age, it's easy to feel like who we are is tied to what we look like. Our appearance becomes a big part of our identity. If spirits really can become attached to this world, maybe that attachment doesn't disappear overnight.

On the other hand, people who pass away later in life have had decades to build memories, relationships, and experiences. Their sense of identity may be less about the physical body and more about the life they've lived. If they were to remain behind, I sometimes wonder if they'd be more likely to linger around a favorite home, a family property, or another place that meant something to them rather than a cemetery.

Of course, this is only a theory. There are plenty of reported hauntings involving people of every age, and none of us really know what happens after we die.

Still, it's an interesting thought the next time you're wandering through an old cemetery.

8 Ghost Hunting Tips Every Beginner Should Know

You can buy as many ghost hunting books as your bookshelf can hold, but nothing will prepare you for ghost hunting like actually getting out in the field. Most books will tell you what equipment to buy and how to use it, but usually you're on your own once you step into a haunted location. Here are a few tips to keep you safe and productive along the way.

1.) Let the police know you're there.

This one is important.

If you decide to investigate a cemetery at midnight, do yourself a favor and call the local police department first. Let them know what you're up to.

Police officers regularly patrol cemeteries, and if they see flashlights moving around after dark, they're probably going to assume you're vandalizing graves or trying to steal something.

Trust me. Getting questioned by the police in a cemetery isn't nearly as cool as it sounds.

Besides, grave robbing is so 1700s.

2.) Don't bring your entire entourage. 

The more people you drag into an abandoned building, the harder it becomes to collect meaningful evidence.

I've always believed that less is more.

In my experience, if there really is something paranormal going on, large groups don't help. Even if you disagree with that, there's another practical reason to keep your team small.

Evidence contamination.

Did you hear a laugh?

Footsteps?

A whisper?

It's a lot easier to figure out where it came from when you're investigating with three or four people instead of fifteen.

3.) Be Safe. 

This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people skip this step.

Don't randomly decide to investigate a location in the middle of the night without ever seeing it during the day.

Walk the property first.

Look for holes in the ground, rusty nails, unstable floors, broken glass, or anything else that could ruin your night for reasons that have nothing to do with ghosts.

4.) Know your ghosts. 

One of the best things you can do before an investigation is learn the history.

Talk to the people who've experienced activity there. Read about the building. Find out who lived there.

The more you know going in, the better your questions will be. 

It's a lot easier to communicate if you know who you're dealing with. Provoking might work with a hostile ghost but not with a little old lady. 

I've always felt that it's easier to communicate if you have some idea of who you're trying to communicate with.

If you're too demanding and too harsh on a timid ghost, you're likely to hear hours of silence during audio playback.

5.) Have your own basic equipment. 

At some point during an investigation, your team will probably split up.

When that happens, you'll want your own flashlight, camera, and recorder.

The expensive equipment can usually be shared, but everyone should have the basics.

6.) Pack a first aid kit. 

Nothing kills a hunt faster than an injured hunter. 

Ghost hunting can involve abandoned buildings, cemeteries, hiking trails, and all kinds of places that aren't exactly hazard-free.

You don't have to carry a first aid kit around all night, but keep one nearby.

7.) Know your team. 

This one is crucial.

Don't just invite random people because they watched a few ghost hunting shows and think it looks fun.

Make sure everyone understands how your team investigates and what's expected of them.

More importantly, make sure you trust them.

Unfortunately, some people want a place to be haunted so badly that they'll stage evidence without thinking about the damage it does to the team's credibility.

Your reputation is one of the most valuable things you have.

Protect it.

8.) Be professional. 

If someone invites your team into their home, remember that they're asking for help.

Whether the activity turns out to be paranormal or has a perfectly ordinary explanation, they're looking to you for answers.

If you or your team are screaming and running out the front door every time you hear a strange noise, you're probably making the situation worse for everyone involved.

Stay calm.

Keep an open mind.

You're there to investigate, not to become part of the ghost story.

Happy hunting!

The Ghost That Started it All

I've always wanted to keep a record of the strange things that have happened to me throughout my life. Looking back, I think there's only one place to start: the first ghost I ever saw.

Whether you believe what I experienced was paranormal or not, that single moment changed the course of my life. It sparked my fascination with ghost hunting and the unexplained.

I was eight years old when my mom, stepdad, and I moved into a townhouse in Garland, Texas. There wasn't anything particularly unusual about the place. It looked like any other townhouse.

Not long after we moved in, my parents surprised me by completely redoing my bedroom. They put in new carpet, painted the walls, and bought me a waterbed. To an eight-year-old, it felt like the coolest room in the world.

A few nights later, a thunderstorm rolled in.

I woke up to rain pounding against my bedroom window. As I rolled over to get comfortable, I happened to glance at the mirror attached to my dresser.

That's when I saw it.

The figure looked almost like dense black smoke shaped into a person, except it had no legs. Even though my bedroom was pitch black, it seemed to give off the faintest glow, just enough for me to see it clearly. Where its eyes should have been were nothing but dark, empty holes.

And I could tell it was looking directly at me.

I was absolutely terrified.

As I stared at the figure through the mirror, our dog suddenly began barking and growling toward the same spot.

That was all I needed to see.

I bolted through the bathroom that connected my room to my parents' bedroom and dove onto their floor. I think I slept there for at least a week after that.

After that night, strange things seemed to happen constantly.

I heard people calling my name when no one was there. I noticed odd things that I couldn't explain. I asked my mom to take me to the store so I could buy a notebook and started writing down everything that seemed unusual.

That notebook became the beginning of something much bigger.

As I got older, the notebook was joined by recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, cameras, and countless late nights searching for answers. Friends and family eventually joined me on investigations, although I've always enjoyed investigating solo the best. I've often wondered if spirits are less likely to communicate when they're surrounded by large groups of people.

I've been searching for answers ever since.

Welcome to Haunted Courtney.