Ghost Hunting Season

          Like other types of hunters, paranormal investigators seem to have a "season" in which it's best to hunt. I know what you're thinking: October, right? We've all been told that the veil between the living and the dead thins a little bit every day until Halloween night when it comes down for 24 hours. Sounds amazing, right? I always thought so. I remember growing up thinking that ghosts were just sitting on the other side of the veil, waiting to be released into the mortal world. Clawing and scraping against the invisible barrier until the clock struck midnight on Halloween. 

       That doesn't make much sense, though. Do they respect time zones? Are East coast ghosts released first? How does that work? As I've gotten older and more experienced in paranormal research, I've found that ghosts don't really hide behind a veil. Paranormal activity isn't highest on Halloween night, either. To be honest, I've not gotten a single EVP or paranormal photograph ever on Halloween night. I wonder why that is?

       As you know, if you've been following my blog, I've been investigating the paranormal since I was 8 years old. I hate to admit this, but that means I have 28 years of experience. In all of that time, I've not noticed that paranormal events seem to escalate around October. Strangely enough, ghostly activity hits a lull around August and doesn't ramp back up until January. I know everyone will have different experiences, but this has been consistent throughout the years. October is my slow season. 

       I've often wondered why these patterns occur and what they mean. I'm still researching, I'll always be "still researching", but I have a theory. Have you ever noticed how chaotic things are around October? Everyone is busy getting ready for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and December holidays. Temporary paranormal blindness keeps us from seeing what's right in front of us. What's always right in front of us. We can't see past our holiday plans and Amazon shopping lists. I'm guilty of this, as well. Paranormal activity seems to reemerge after the holiday chaos around January. So what does that mean?

       When our lives are chaotic and busy, we're oftentimes blind to our surroundings. When things slow down, and our brains relax, we focus on those events that were ignored during our busy season. A relaxed mind naturally opens to accept new information. This information can come in the form of an entity that's been trying to get our attention or a poltergeist that is simply bored and passing through. This is why paranormal activity picks up in January and again in the summer. 

       To close, I don't fully support the idea of a veil between the living and the dead. It's a fun theory, but it doesn't hold much water. It's been taped together by ghost hunting teams for so many years that it's practically non-existent anywhere but within their minds. "Ghost hunting season" is different for everyone. It occurs when you slow down, open your mind, remove distractions, and focus on what's always been right in front of you.

The Age of Paranormal Blindness

As time passes by, and technology absorbs every spare moment, I've noticed something slightly alarming. Kids don't believe in ghosts anymore. They simply don't see them. They don't allow their minds to rest enough to see those things peeking at them from the dark. Phones and tablets consume every ounce of visual energy, and aside from a poltergeist knocking a device out of their hands, they refuse to see beyond them. 

       I've always believed that you can't fully experience the paranormal until you accept that there's more to this world than what you can see and touch. Some non-believers have moments of poltergeist activity, but never a lasting relationship with the beyond. Of course, not everyone wants a relationship with paranormal beings, and I can't blame them for that. It's not for everyone. I worry, though, that this age of digital domination has led to an age of paranormal blindness. 

        Paranormal blindness is the inability or unwillingness to see beyond the tactile. If someone can't see or touch it, it doesn't exist. As kids grow in a digital atmosphere where their world is entirely based within a 6-inch screen, the chance for experiencing the paranormal becomes slim. This does not solely affect children, however, as more adults live within their devices. The paranormal world now rarely gets the attention it craves, and people wonder why haunting reports have declined in recent years.

       The one true tragedy that will inevitably arise from this new age is the lack of paranormal research. Without an interest in the paranormal world, the next generation will be less likely to attempt to rip down the veil between the dead and the living. Paranormal science is in danger of extinction. With paranormal programs only focusing on the jump-scares and never the science, kids (and adults) only see the entertainment value hauntings. True paranormal researchers are left in the shadows with very little funding and a general lack of respect. 

       In this age of paranormal blindness, I think we should highlight our scientists and the research that has moved them forward. Paranormal websites and reality tv shows only focus on groups of uneducated "hunters" who spend an hour scaring themselves. I'm not saying there's no place for that- entertainment is entertainment. I would just like to see more shows documenting real scientists as they research the paranormal. If we bring awareness to the science behind the scares, there is hope that a new generation of paranormal scientists will begin to emerge. I, for one, would love to see what they discover.