Ectoplasm...Sort Of.

I hope you're sitting down, because I'm about to burst your ectoplasmic bubble.

Is "ectoplasmic" even a word?

Let's just pretend I didn't make that up for the sake of this article.

First, a little history.

Ectoplasm first became popular in the late 1800s when mediums claimed they could produce a mysterious substance during séances. It was said to emerge from the nose or mouth and was supposedly too "light sensitive" to exist outside complete darkness.

Convenient, right?

As it turned out, many of those famous demonstrations were exactly what skeptics suspected. Once the lights came on, the "ectoplasm" often turned out to be tissue paper, cheesecloth, or some wonderfully appetizing mixture of gelatin, soap, and egg whites.

Some mediums even swallowed the material beforehand so they could dramatically regurgitate it during the séance.

I don't know about you, but I think I'd rather meet an actual ghost.

So...

Is traditional "ectoplasm" real?

Probably not.

Sorry, Ghostbusters.

With that said, I do believe that ghosts can sometimes leave behind traces of themselves within and on us. 

I like to call it "energy ectoplasm". 

I believe this energy can leave behind an electrical slime, which sticks to our energy like paranormal glue. Once touched by a spirit, you know it absolutely. 

There's no mistaking the strange feeling you have after a brush with an entity that resides on the other side. It's almost as if the touched part of your body was transported to the dead realm. You feel as if you were electrocuted with a vibrating aftershock. 

That vibration can last for what feels like eons and lasts until you shed the energy that has made your body it's temporary home.

Do I think it's actual ectoplasm?

No.

What I do know is that the history of ectoplasm, hoaxes included, is fascinating.

Sometimes the fake stories are almost as interesting as the ghost stories themselves

Have We Forgotten How to Ghost Hunt?

I have a love-hate relationship with technology.

I love that I can find information in seconds or catch up with family and friends from my phone. But I also think technology has a way of clouding our minds if we let it.

Ghost hunting has come a long way over the years, but I'm not entirely convinced it's been for the better.

Don't get me wrong. I love new ghost hunting gadgets as much as the next investigator. Some of them are incredibly interesting. But somewhere along the way, I think we started relying on electronic beeps and flashing lights to tell us what our own senses used to.

Years ago, if someone thought they were in the presence of something paranormal, they paid attention to how they felt. The hair on the back of their neck stood up. Their ears rang. Something just felt...different.

Now we tend to stare at a screen waiting for it to tell us whether there's a ghost in the room.

Sometimes I wonder if we've become so focused on the equipment that we've stopped paying attention to ourselves.

Let's be honest. We walk into locations looking like Ghostbusters, carrying bags full of gadgets we think we need.

I know because I've done it too.

Some of those tools are useful.

A camera.

A video camera.

A digital recorder.

A flashlight.

Beyond that, I think a lot of ghost hunting equipment falls into the "nice to have" category rather than the "need to have" category.

Is it fun to play with?

Absolutely.

I own a few unnecessary gadgets myself.

But that's never been why I ghost hunt.

I got into ghost hunting because I wanted to understand what I saw as a child. I wanted to explore one of the biggest questions we'll ever ask ourselves.

What happens when we die?

I was never trying to prove ghosts exist.

People are going to believe what they want to believe, regardless of what evidence you put in front of them.

Lately, I've found myself wanting to get back to the way I used to investigate.

To rely a little less on technology and a little more on my own instincts.

I'm just as guilty as anyone else when it comes to overdoing it with gadgets, but I think it's time to find a better balance.

Maybe the best ghost hunting equipment isn't something you can buy.

Maybe it's something we were all born with.