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http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/showarticle.cfm?id=311
http://www.petsbest.com/LearnMore/Default.aspx
Now, on to your questions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is the difference between a parapsychologist, a demonologist and a paranormal researcher?
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Are there different types of equipment you can use to prove their existence?
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Is there anything wrong with going to haunted locations, like on ghost tours?
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If you feel cold when a spirit manifests itself, does that mean it is evil?
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I sometimes smell perfume that my mother used to use. Is it possible that she is visiting?
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Let's say that my house is haunted. How long would it take to end the haunting?
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If I am experiencing phenomena in my home, is it a good idea for me to bless it?
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If I feel my house is being haunted and I go to my priest, will he help me?
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If someone who is being haunted comes to stay with me for a while, can the spirit come into my home?
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Is it a good idea to go to the press if I think my house is haunted?
What is the difference between a parapsychologist, a demonologist or a paranormal researcher?
Parapsychology by my definition is the scientific study of a field that cannot be studied scientifically. Truthfully, a parapsychologist is someone who studies psychic phenomena with the belief that it is al human generated. It is a broad answer but it is a scientific approach to understanding paranormal events. Parapsychologists believe that most paranormal phenomena are the result of something that the human mind creates. For example, the movement of objects is believed to be the result of mind over matter. There is considerable validity to the theories of parapsychology. However, it does not explain all paranormal phenomena. A demonologist is one who studies demons and their actions. Almost all demonologists are clergymen. A paranormal researcher or investigator covers anyone who deals with paranormal phenomena. Be wary of labels though, they can be dangerous. People can pretty much call themselves whatever they want. Pay more attention to the person than they label they may have given themselves.
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Can the existence of ghosts be proven?
From a purely scientific point of view, the answer is no. In order to prove anything scientifically, it must be studied in a controlled setting and it must be able to be duplicated at will. This cannot happen since spirits will not allow themselves to be studied in a lab. Still, there are mountains of evidence that points to the probability of ghosts existing. There are simply too many examples to ignore. Ask anyone who has seen one.
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Are there different types of equipment you can use to prove their existence?
There are many different pieces of equipment available that are commonly used by paranormal investigators. For example, there are devices that measure electromagnetic energy fields. When spirits manifest, they draw energy from either the environment or a person. It is believed that in undergoing this process, an electromagnetic field is created. Through research and experience, we have come to learn that this is so. Therefore, when an EMF detector goes off, it may be due to a spirit manifestation and it has happened enough times that you can equate the two. However, from a scientific point of view, all we can prove is that there is an electromagnetic field forming. We cannot prove what is causing it. There are other pieces of equipment that are used to produce evidence. Camcorders, cameras, various types of thermometers, along with other things help build a case.
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What about pictures, aren't they proof?
Again, from a scientific point of view, no. You will often see pictures that show an amorphous, mist like energy field. This fog like substance is rarely seen by the naked eye. To any paranormal investigator, these energy fields are consistent with spirit manifestations. However, to a scientist, they are pictures are of an energy field or mist and that is all. They may not be able to explain why it is there but since it cannot be duplicated under controlled conditions, they cannot state that these fields are spirit related. Today we have great technology that has allowed people to get some amazing photographs. The problem is that we have great technology that has allowed people to “create” amazing photographs. There has never been better equipment and there has never been better fraud.
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Probably. What is interesting is the fact that four people can be sitting in a room and two will see a ghost and two will not see it. This can cause some serious confusion when one spouse is trying to convince the other that a haunting is taking place. There are people who are more sensitive to the spirit world and they will most often see a spirit. For that reason, women see spirits more so than men. However, I have heard many stories of even the most skeptical of men finding themselves confronted by a spirit. One thing to consider is that many times, people will see a spirit but not know it since in some cases, spirits will look as solid as we do.
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What are the chances of me seeing a ghost?
Probably very strong. However, the thing is you may not know that the person who just smiled at you as they passed by is a ghost.
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Should I be afraid of a ghost?
No. As I have said many times, the overwhelming majority of ghostly encounters are benign and even benevolent. It is natural to fear something that you do not understand but when you think about it, ghosts are pretty much natural and common. Once you accept that fact, you will find your fear fading away.
Are there such things as ghost animals?
Yes, indeed. Many people who have lost a cherished pet report seeing or feeling their pet with them when they go to bed. It seems that the pet is doing its best to comfort its grieving owner. Many will call this wishful thinking but there is tremendous anecdotal evidence to support this belief. I have personally had experiences with deceased animals. So too has my wife. Unfortunately, it is rare. I wish it would happen more.
Is there anything wrong with going to haunted locations, like on ghost tours?
Absolutely not. Going on ghost tours is becoming very popular today. The same is true for people deciding to go on their own to famous haunted places. You are in no danger if you do this. Ghosts cannot hurt you. The only thing I tell people is that if you go to enough places, you may well encounter a spirit. Of course, that is why you went there, after all. It is perfectly safe.
If you feel cold when a spirit manifests itself, does that mean it is evil?
No, whenever a spirits manifests, it does so by drawing energy from the environment or from a person, which produces the cold. In and of itself, the cold means little. The popular conception is that cold denotes evil but that is not true.
Is it possible to contact a deceased loved one?
According to many psychics, yes. Personally, I have had no experience with this but there are credible psychics who claim to communicate with deceased spirits. I would love to find someone who can. There are many loved ones whom I would like to contact. It must be pointed out that there are many, many “psychics” out there who will gladly take your money and tell you extremely obvious things. Most of those people have about as much of a chance of contacting your deceased loved ones as the average doorknob.
If I play with a Ouija board, will I become haunted?
This is an interesting question. The odds are that you would not be haunted but let me explain this. Many of the more difficult hauntings have happened to people who have played with the board. It has proven to be the only common denominator when cases have been studied. In theory, you are contacting spirits and inviting them into your home. If you come across one that does not want to leave, you have a problem on your hands. However, millions of people regularly use Ouija boards. Certainly, there are not millions of people who are haunted. Based on that premise, your chances of being haunted because of the Ouija board are pretty small. I should point out that almost everyone I have talked to who have used the board a few times had an interesting story or two to tell about their experiences. The vast majority are benign in nature. Obviously, there may be something else going on with the people who do get haunted from using it. In theory, if you ask only to deal with positive spirits from the light and you pray for protection, you should be okay. You just have to realize that using it puts you at a higher risk level than people who do not use it. The more you use it, the better the chance that you will experience some form of paranormal phenomena.
Can I contact a deceased loved one by using a Ouija board?
Theoretically, you probably can. However, I would never advise it. The chances are slim that you will contact who you are looking for. In addition, you have no idea who or what you have contacted, if you contact anyone at all. Probably more importantly, you run the risk of hurting yourself emotionally. Imagine what would happen if you could not contact the one you are trying to reach. That would hurt. Even worse would be if you contacted someone who claimed to be your loved one and they began spelling out terribly hurtful things. There is no easy answer to grief. When you lose a loved one, you are going to hurt for as long as you hurt. There is no anesthetic for that. Even making the attempt to contact a deceased loved one points to an obsession on your part. Unfortunately, you have to go on. Besides, your loved one may well visit you in some manner when the time is right, most likely in a dream state.
I sometimes smell perfume that my mother used to use. Is it possible that she is visiting?
Yes, it is possible. In fact, it is a fairly common phenomenon. Many people report smelling a scent associated with a deceased loved during times of great stress or joy.
Can you help an earthbound spirit cross over?
Yes, you can. A psychic will have an easier time doing this than you might but it can be done. In many cases, earthbound spirits do not know they are dead. With gentle coaxing, you can sometimes convince a spirit to cross over. Sometimes a spirit is afraid to move on. Again, gentle coaxing can help. One way that has been successful for me is to ask the spirit to call a deceased loved one to come and help them.
That all depends on how you classify a haunting. To me, a haunting is a situation where you have a negative spirit at work, be it human or inhuman. In my mind, the presence of a benign human spirit does not constitute a haunting. Therefore by my definition, a haunting is bad. However, many people consider a haunting to be a situation where any spirit is present and some even call the presence of a psychic recording a haunting. By their definition, all hauntings are not bad.
Can a haunting just stop on its own?
In some instances, yes. Some hauntings stop as suddenly and inexplicably as they start. This is often the case with poltergeist manifestations. They seem to come out of nowhere and then, one day, it stops. As always, it depends on what is doing the haunting and why it is doing it.
If a haunting stops, can it start up again?
In some cases, yes it can. There are times when an exorcism is performed and the problem abates for a while. Sadly, it may start up again. The same can happen in human hauntings as well. You are never quite sure what the outcome will be. In addition, some hauntings are subtle. Activity will come and go from time to time. We really do not have a handle on why this happens.
Let us say that my house is haunted. How long would it take to end the haunting?
There is no easy answer to this question. How quickly you end it depends on several factors. For openers, it depends on what it is and why it is there. Expelling a human spirit is much easier then expelling an inhuman one in the sense of safety. However, human hauntings can take a long time to unravel. Another part of the equation is how you respond to the situation. Is your faith strong or is it weak? If the haunting is the result of some action on the part of a family member, has this precipitating factor been stopped? There is also the question of your personal strength. I know this is not telling you much but these factors play a huge role in ending the attack. There have been many cases where the activity just suddenly stopped on its own or stopped when investigators arrived. Unfortunately, a haunting can last for years. It really is something that has to be taken on a case-to-case basis.
If I am haunted, do I have to believe in God?
Since I consider a haunting to be negative in nature, (I do not consider the presence of a benign spirit a haunting.) I would have to say yes, if are dealing with a negative spirit. Demons are creations of God and I believe the only way to get rid of them is through belief in God and through His help. It does not necessarily matter what you faith is, it only matters that you do believe in God.
If I am experiencing phenomena in my home, is it a good idea for me to bless it?
That depends on what is causing the activity. If you were dealing with an evil, human spirit, the blessing would be a good idea. If, however, an inhuman spirit is causing the problem, the blessing may provoke the entity and it may retaliate. Therefore, what you have here is a tricky situation. You really need to know what you are dealing with. My advice to you would be to contact one of the paranormal organizations in your area and have the situation investigated. There are many to choose from, if you are on the Internet. Most organizations do not charge for their services except for travel and lodging, so try to find one that is local. Also, if you feel that a blessing is needed, you might want to have it done by a priest or minister. That makes the blessing stronger. Still though, the entity may retaliate. Keep something in mind though, the mere presence of a spirit does not mean that you are being haunted in a negative way. Most spirit encounters are benign. The movement of objects by itself does not constitute a negative haunting. Running around yelling prayers is not necessary in a benign haunting and it really will not have much of an effect. However, there is nothing wrong with blessing your house or having a priest do it. You just have to be careful if you think there may be something demonic going on.
If I feel my house is being haunted and I go to my priest, will he help me?
That depends on the priest. The sad fact of the matter is that he may not. The clergy are often the last people who will believe that something supernatural is going on. You do find one or two precious priests who will believe what you tell him and do his best to help you. In many cases, priests do not know how to handle haunting phenomena.
If you move out of a haunted house, will you be safe?
That depends on a number of things. The most important factor is what was doing the haunting? Spirits have the ability to move around. However, in most cases, a human spirit will likely stay at one location although there appears to be no rule that it must. If the spirit was demonic, it certainly has the ability to follow you. The next big question is why the haunting occurred in the first place. If the spirit was indigenous to the location, it may well stay there. In fact, it almost always will. If however, the haunting occurred because of some action on your part, such as a conjuring spell, the spirit you summoned will follow you wherever you go. The only way to stop this type of spirit would be through an exorcism. Spirits sometimes attach themselves to an object. It may be a piece of furniture or it may be something like jewelry. In that case, the spirit will go wherever the object it has attached itself goes.
If someone who is being haunted comes to stay with me for a while, can the spirit come into my home?
Spirits are capable of moving around, so unfortunately, it can indeed follow your friend to your home. This most often occurs in hauntings involving strong, negative spirits. Usually the spirit will leave with the person who is being besieged.
Is it a good idea to go to the press if I think my house is haunted?
No, actually it is a bad idea. Going to the press creates a bigger problem that the one you already have. Newspapers want headlines, not necessarily truth. If they smell a big story, they will be relentless with you. They are not going to seriously look into the problem, they are going to write what they think will attract readers. You will be besieged by reporters looking for an interview. The second big problem is that people will be knocking on your door and camping out on your lawn and will besiege you wherever you go. Your children will be harassed going to and from school, your telephone will ring constantly and every wackadoo in the area will try to get in touch with you or your ghosts. The living human problem becomes larger than the dead human/inhuman one. I do not like to go anywhere near a case when I know the press is involved. Nothing good ever comes of it.
Are there things I can do to prevent being haunted?
There are things you can do to prevent a haunting from occurring. Please see the chapter in this book for details. One thing to note, if you move into a haunted house, you may have a problem no matter what you do. However, there are things you can do to prevent one from happening where you already are. Obviously the biggest thing is to not dabble in the occult. Also, you want to create an environment in your home that will repel negative forces.
Basically, discernment is the ability to perceive knowledge from a source other than what would be considered "normal." An example would be knowing who is on the phone just before you answer it. Those with good discernment may be able to tell when a spirit is present.
Can anyone develop discernment?
Yes, please review the chapter on this subject. It is believed that everyone has some of this ability, although not everyone realizes it. It would stand to reason that if one were to use this skill, it would become sharper. Most people ignore their “sixth” sense because it is drowned out by the other five senses. Others lack a developed sixth sense because they try too hard to use it. It is something that must come naturally. However, meditation can strengthen it to some degree.
Are the psychics who channel spirits for real?
I hate that question. I would like to say that there are probably some out there who are legit. What bothers me is that when you see these things on TV, the information given is so general that it can fit most people. It’s kind of like one size fits all. In some cases, it seems like the “psychic” is fishing for information. Many bring questions on their own heads because of the outrageous rates they charge for readings. There is a long history of fraud in this field. There have been too many cases of people profiteering off the suffering of others. I am personally skeptical of those who say they can channel at will, especially for a large fee.
What do you think about the “pet psychic” shows?
I try not to. This will probably get me in trouble but my answer is: not much. I have trouble believing the “human” psychics on TV. Although they seem to “fish” for answers, there is some way of verifying what they are telling the person being read. I cannot believe it when a pet psychic says that Fido hates the neighbor's cat because she meows too much or gives him dirty looks when he is watering the fire hydrant.
If someone kills me, can I come back and haunt them?
There is evidence that this sometimes happens but whether it is something any spirit can do is another question. Perhaps it is so rare because the deceased passes over quickly. I really cannot answer that question with any degree of certainty.