Ghost Hunting Question Options

Okay so I was thinking about going on some "ghost hunting" trips here this year and thought I would throw the idea out here first. The thing is that even though I practice reaching out to various entities and such I don't generally get the best or most reliable results at all. Certainly nothing evocation wise, but that's because I don't do it. Anyway I was thinking it might be easier to work in the right direction if I could practice communication in some way with ghosts and such. I see this as sort of trying to learn to operate a cell phone (ie magic) but not knowing if I am dialing right because even when I do dial right no one is at the other end. So why not go where someone might pick up?

Anyway Ohio is home to a bunch of supposedly haunted places and I'm sure I could do this with friends (who are in no way interested with magic at all but would go anyway I'm sure). So I am wondering has anyone else done anything like this? Any advice, comments, or thoughts?

I have no idea where this would take place yet but if I plan now this could easily become a reality for the upcoming summer.



EDIT: oh and I hope I posted this in the right area...

This post has been edited by ☞Tomber☜: Jan 17 2011, 10:41 PM

I think that using a tape recorder is a good way of gathering information. Years ago, even before I had ever heard of electronic voice phenomena I happened to have a tape recorder turned on and expected to just hear white noise if anything. But I heard voices. It was difficult to understand the words, but hearing disembodied voices freaked me out at the time. The voice was asking questions like where are you and where was he. I haven't used tape recorders when looking into hauntings but it sounds like a good idea. I know that there have been TV shows on the subject but have never watched them. I can see how the use of tape recorders would be natural in that sort of show situation.

If you are going to be doing this in someone's house where they are living, they will expect some results, such as laying the ghost. This would mean you have to know what you are doing. I would suggest you begin at someplace that is abandoned or uninhabited initially until you work out your system. You kinda have to have some method of sensing a ghost's presence or if they are gone. Then you will know if your banishment or laying of the ghost has been effective. I've worked with two groups doing this over the years. The last time was about a week ago. We always have a group leader who has done this before and knows what they are doing. We have a basic plan of what we are doing even before we begin. We try to ascertain that there actually is a ghost or spirit in the house beforehand. I remember one person who requested our help. Initially one of us made suggestions for her to do something about it herself, then when that wasn't successful we went in and investigated. We didn't find anything but upon talking with the house owner we realized that she was suffering from delusions. We suggested that she go back on her medication--which of course pissed her off royally. The other thing to remember is afterwards we check to make sure that the spirit has left. Generally you can go by the feeling of the energy in the house.

With the first group I was with we tied to talk to the spirit and convince it to pass over. It seemed to work the few times we did it but was a bit time consuming. The coven I'm with now uses a banishing ritual and sealing the house afterwards with an elemental ritual. We also clear out the energy of the house at the same time.

I've never gone out of my way to do investigations, but we have had requests from folks to help get rid of a ghostly presence, consequently it has been irregular. We've done two this year. Previously I'd say we did one a year for the past five or six years. With another group we did three or four over a period of several years. I don't think that I'm an expert, but now I believe that if I needed to do it myself or lead with a few assistants I could manage.