A common question people ask about ghosts is, "How do I know I am really experiencing a haunting?" The answer to this question can be rather complex. A number of elements need to be examined in order to determine the existence of a legitimate haunting. Further, a haunting can only be determined through the processes of observation, documentation, and rational deduction. Such processes may seem tedious and may sometimes feel like a "wait and see approach" to determining the legitimacy of your experience, but each process is essential in establishing whether or not an experience can be identified as a true haunting. Read the following article to learn the common symptoms of a haunting and how you can be proactive in terms of documenting and investigating your haunting experience.

When someone believes that he or she is experiencing the paranormal it is absolutely vital that they take the time to journal every experience. Journaling is important for a number of reasons; primarily to get the events documented as accurately as possible. Yet, journaling can also serve as a way for the individual to later "connect the dots" so to speak: to look back at past events and see what events may or may have led up to present paranormal experiences. Meanwhile, if nothing else, the act of journaling serves as a release for the individual that is enduring questionable and unexplained events: feelings and emotions can be tracked when journaling and can, therefore, be better kept in check. Read the following article and learn the true significance of journaling paranormal experiences here.

While there are numerous paranormal groups and investigators that assert that orbs in pictures are the product of mundane causes only and have absolutely nothing to do with the paranormal, and that orbs cannot therefore be categorized as something unexplained; there are just as many ghost hunters and ghost researchers that argue the opposite. There have been countless researchers proving to the world how easily orbs can be reproduced by photographing floating dust particles, water particles, and other materials. In essence, researchers are falling on either side of the fence: asserting the validity or non-validity of orbs, while few investigators remain on the fence to see if new discoveries can support one side of the orb debate better than the other. As of this date, there are even entire campaigns being run by some investigators and ghost hunting enthusiasts against the act of acknowledging orbs as something that frequently accompanies the ghostly experience; in truth, the jury is still out on whether or not all orbs can be written off to mundane origins alone. Read more about the orb debate in this article.

While there are numerous paranormal groups and investigators that assert that orbs in pictures are the product of mundane causes only and have absolutely nothing to do with the paranormal, and that orbs cannot therefore be categorized as something unexplained; there are just as many ghost hunters and ghost researchers that argue the opposite. There have been countless researchers proving to the world how easily orbs can be reproduced by photographing floating dust particles, water particles, and other materials. In essence, researchers are falling on either side of the fence: asserting the validity or non-validity of orbs, while few investigators remain on the fence to see if new discoveries can support one side of the orb debate better than the other. As of this date, there are even entire campaigns being run by some investigators and ghost hunting enthusiasts against the act of acknowledging orbs as something that frequently accompanies the ghostly experience; in truth, the jury is still out on whether or not all orbs can be written off to mundane origins alone. Read more about the orb debate in this article.

Labeling is the practice of stereotyping or typecasting individuals based on their appearances, beliefs, or practices. Such a practice is not only troublesome; it can be both extremely limiting and even detrimental to the subjects of labeling. So, what has the practice of labeling have to do with ghost investigations? Unfortunately, quite a lot! We see it all the time, as ghost investigators we are often ridiculed for our beliefs and practices. Even worse, is when our religious beliefs come into play and people stereotype us based on fixed ideas formulated from misinformation. Sadly, stereotypes are prejudiced points of view that can even lead to personal or religious persecution. Discover the detrimental effects of labeling and stereotyping in the field of paranormal research by visiting the link above.

Often times, when someone thinks of a paranormal investigator, images of people ghost hunting in dark, creepy cemeteries come to mind. In some instances, this may be true, yet, what should be remembered is that cemeteries are not necessarily as creepy as they first appear. Cemeteries are places filled with incredible art and historical references. When ghost hunting, it becomes possible to appreciate the diverse art that cemeteries provide. Examine the history of cemetery art and learn about the symbolic significance of cemetery icons in this article.

An alphabetical listing of common icons found in many cemeteries. Each symbol has its own unique meaning. Thus, when carved on headstones, each symbol silently suggests the life story of the people they represent. Discover what some of the common cemetery symbols mean in this article.

Many ghost investigators use a variety of tools to aid them during the process of investigation. Most ghost investigating equipment can be purchased at a relatively low cost to the investigator or team. Conversely, some initial equipment may be more costly. Nevertheless, such tools can provide investigators and paranormal teams with the ability to increase the success of their investigation. Therefore, what kind of equipment does a ghost investigate typically need? Read more about ghost hunting investigative equipment in this article.

Those individuals interested in ghost hunting will need to make sure they have all the ghost hunting equipment they need to get started. Some ghost hunter equipment is expensive, while other ghost hunter equipment is fairly easy to purchase. Better still is the ghost hunting equipment that does not cost anything-the skills of the investigator or the accumulated skills of a paranormal team. Below is an extensive list of the equipment used in ghost hunting and precisely what the equipment is used for. Hunters will find that some of the ghost hunting equipment is absolute-there is just certain equipment that a ghost investigator cannot be without. In contrast, anyone interested in ghost hunting will also find that they can get by without certain ghost hunting equipment until they can reasonably afford to purchase the more expensive equipment by working with and utilizing lesser expensive equipment and investigative methods. Review a detailed list of ghost hunting equipment in this article.

Since the inception of ISIS Paranormal Investigations, our group has received numerous requests from individuals looking to join a paranormal or ghost hunting group. In turn, we encourage individuals interested in the serious study of the paranormal and will often refer people to ghost hunting groups in their area that may be accepting applications for new members. Since the requests we receive are so many, we decided to offer an article that provides tips on how to successfully appeal to a paranormal or ghost hunting group that may be accepting member applications. If you are an individual that is interested in joining a ghost hunting group, you will want to seek out groups that are within your local area. Ghost hunting groups sometimes get requests to conduct an investigation with little or short notice, and the team may have to call upon your services quickly. If you do not live within a close proximity to where the ghost hunting group normally gathers, it can cause difficulties for the team or you may find that you miss out on some really fantastic investigations due to time constraints or transportation limitations. Therefore, it is always best to apply to groups where you can get to group meetings and investigations with relative ease. See how you should go about trying to join an existing ghost hunting group here.

Our investigation team gets a number of e-mail contacts from neophyte paranormal investigators and ghost hunters seeking advice, tips, and hints pertaining to how to successfully investigate a site with purported paranormal activity. Our team loves the questions and happily answers such questions whenever we are able, but in some instances time constraints do not allow us to answer questions immediately. Therefore, we have decided to produce a series of articles pertaining to paranormal investigation and ghost hunting that addresses the typical questions and concerns that we receive on a regular basis. Read about critical ghost hunting safety tips in this article.

When one visits a paranormal website, what they first see is the overall quality of the site; the various discussions, articles, photographs and other evidence can be quite educational. Yet, what is hardly ever seen is what goes on behind the scenes, especially among the various paranormal groups in the community. In fact, despite the many individuals or groups that work in conjunction with one another and strive for understanding of the paranormal, there are just as many groups and individuals that do just the opposite; wasting both precious time and energy attacking other paranormal groups or individuals, their ideas, and ideals. Learn more about promoting paranormal community unity in this article.

Have you ever watched a non-fiction or reality show about the paranormal and believed all of the retelling or depictions to be true? Think again. Believe it or not, what seems to be the case is usually just the opposite. Unfortunately a little thing like poetic license creeps into the picture which either eliminates critical documentation pertaining to the case or blows the story out of proportion. Why would anyone bother with poetic license when it comes to talking about the paranormal and paranormal research? Ratings, recognition, competition, and, in some cases, for monetary reasons. Find out the damage caused by paranormal poetic license by reviewing this article.

Electronic voice phenomena is the voices and or sounds recorded on audio or video tape and are usually only heard after the tape is played back. Evp was first explored by Thomas Edison in the 1920's and was further developed in the later 1950's by Friedrich Juergenson. On the heels of Juergenson, Konstantine Raudive conducted similar research with similar findings: both Juergenson and Raudive reported contacting their mother's from beyond the grave via recordings. Today evps are explored by hundreds of researchers worldwide, in an effort to both understand and master the science of electronic voice phenomena. Find out more about evps in this article.

Frequently, paranormal activity is not taken seriously. Over the years various medias have depicted ghost research as a game, and less like scientific research. Thus, as paranormal investigators it becomes crucial for us to behave in a professional fashion. In doing so, we lend credence to our research and bandage the wounds of myth carved by popular culture. Ghost investigation is not a game and should be taken seriously. An earnest approach to the study of ghosts can provide us with the most astounding experiences we will encounter. Most paranormal teams establish standard rules for every investigation. Such rules are created to maintain a level of professionalism, a sense of team dignity, and to prevent undue mishaps while on a location. Despite the fact that extensive protocol can seem overly restrictive, such rules are truly beneficial to both the team and the clients. Likewise, upon first appearances, such rules can seem to curb the level of enjoyment one might have on an investigation, but that is not the case. By following regulated principles and limiting the amount of difficulties that can occur, in the end such rules make investigating both easier and more enjoyable.

So you desire to start your own ghost hunting group? Then be forewarned: starting and remaining an established group is no easy task. Besides the difficulties that may accompany group social interaction and the difficulties of acquiring the basic equipment required to do investigations, there exists the far larger problem of discriminatory harassment. Unfortunately, there are numerous pitfalls in creating a paranormal investigative group. One such pitfall is the persecution you may receive from others whose world view does not concur with your own. Sadly, even today, you may be approached by individuals who, not only disagree with your convictions, but may openly degrade you for your interests in the paranormal. It has been said that forewarned is forearmed— when considering the establishment of your own group, you should be ever aware of the possibility that such harassment will occur. Hence, your awareness can mentally prepare you and your group members and thereby lessen the baneful affect that such discriminatory practices induce. Read more about how to prepare for issues that may arise when starting your own paranormal group.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Ouija is a board that has the alphabet, numerical symbols, and a moveable planchette, all of which are used to communicate with spirits (“Ouija”). The etymology of the term Ouija is ambiguous, but it surmised that the word Ouija is a combination of two words “Oui” and “ja” (“Ouija”). “Oui” is translated from the French and means “Yes”; and “ja” is translated from German, which also means “yes” (“Ouija”). Thus, the term Ouija literally translates as “yes, yes,” and can be seen as an invitation for spirits to communicate. The term Ouija is further associated with the term of good luck in ancient Egypt, and some scholars note that the word Ouija is strikingly similar to the word Oujda, which is actually a Moroccan city (“Ouija”). The Ouija has an interesting history, at least as far back as the board can be traced. Read more about the fascinating history of Ouija Boards in this article.

In the Oxford English Dictionary the term poltergeist is defined as “a ghost or other supernatural being supposedly responsible for unexplained physical disturbances such as loud noises and the movement of objects” (“Poltergeist”). Further, the activity and characteristics of a poltergeist are denoted by the term poltergeistic (“Poltergeist”). Meanwhile, the actual manifestation of poltergeist activity is sometimes referred to by the term poltergeistism (“Poltergeist”). While there are several different words that referred to poltergeists and poltergeist activity, the etymological roots of the term poltergeist have not changed since it was first introduced into the English language. The term poltergeist is rooted in the German language and is a combination of two words: poltern and geist (“Poltergeist”). Poltern literally means “to make a loud noise or uproar, to rumble, to thud,” while geist translates as ghost (“Poltergeist”). Thus, the poltergeist phenomenon is often colloquially referred to as the noisy ghost phenomenon (“Poltergeist”). Orthographically speaking, since the term poltergeist has been introduced into the English Language in the late 1860s, there is no evidence that the spelling of the word has changed. Read more about poltergeists, and poltergeistic activity in this article.

Many people use the word ghost with other words that cannot necessarily be so easily interchanged. There are a number of different ghostly and paranormal terms that actually have subtle differences between them. To clarify, let’s examine some of the common, as well as some of the not so common terms used to describe ghosts, spirits, and other terms used to identify paranormal phenomena. Convenient dictionary links and audio pronunciations are provided for each ghostly and paranormal term discussed.