Welcome to the NWPIA South website! To most, the paranormal is a very scary topic thanks to ghost stories and scary movies; however, the thing to keep in mind is before these spirits haunted that musty old attic or basement they were people just like you and me. Here are a few common misconceptions with the paranormal.
Bad Ghost vs. Good Ghost
There are some misconceptions about demons and ghosts. Generally we find that a ghost is a ghost. If a person had a grumpy disposition in life, chances are they’re going to remain grumpy after death. If your ghost died as a mischievous adolescent then that’s what you may get, a prankster. Some believe that demons have taken over their house. I have yet to run into a demon and chances are we wouldn’t. Just because your ghost knocks papers off the table or slams doors doesn’t make it a demon. Ghosts love attention and they’ll do what they want when you’re least expecting it. The more you react, the more they seem to like it. If you have had enough of the ghost(s) then kindly ask it to leave. Remember, ghosts were people once and they react similar to the living. If you scream and yell then it may react harshly. It is wise to take the nicest approach first. Just because it's a dark shadow figure doesn't mean it a nasty ghost. In turn the same goes for white colored ghosts. Remember not to label a type of ghost by its color. I've seen way too much of that with the living.
What about the environment ?
The environment inside the home is a factor most people don’t consider when it comes to paranormal activity. Our behavior and actions may impact the environment we live in. In some cases, the negativity emanating from one or more residents in the home can create unstable living conditions, especially around children. Depending on the person, he/she can unconsciously create paranormal activity by diverting the attention away from themselves. The blame then goes to the “ghost,” it was the “ghost” that made them carry out an action. Paranormal activities seem to disappear when the affected person seeks out professional help or the problem(s) that acted as the catalyst for the negativity get resolved.
We have found that many children claim to have encountered a ghost, they tend to do this either for attention, or they want to help embellish the adult’s claims. In one of our cases the child had coded her paranormal activity. Through dreams and drawings the child had created a monster that visited her in the middle of the night to hurt her. Unfortunately, in reality it wasn’t a ghost or monster, it was a family member. Even though case studies have shown that children have been contacted first by ghosts/paranormal activity, their brains are still actively growing and have equally growing imaginations.
We have also had cases where roommates have played a role in paranormal activity. In one of our cases the ghost would only take $ 20.00 bills out of the piggy bank, leaving the change and $ 1.00 bills. The activity would then heighten as the money disappeared. The “ghost “would then create a distraction and hide some of the roommates stuff. The roommate’s stuff would be more costly than the money missing but was recovered quickly if needed. The money was never recovered. The home owners were so caught up in the paranormal activity and anticipating a ghostly encounter, they never suspected foul play. The home owner set up cameras and the activity stopped.
The power of suggestion is one of the leading factors of paranormal activity. It takes only one person to contaminate the thought process of another person. We seek out people that agree with us, its human nature. The problem with the power of suggestion is that every little noise or shadow is automatically “a ghost. “ Also, comments such as, “did it get really cold in here or what?” are other examples of the power of suggestion. Most people would agree that the air temperature did change. The more fearful the person, the more likely they can create ghosts out of normal everyday things.
What about the air quality ?
Air quality is important to your health and living environment. If living in an apartment or condo/town house, make sure others around you aren’t adding to your paranormal experience. If the tenants before you didn’t keep a clean house, you may be inhaling their leftovers. If your health progressively worsens after you moved in, you may need to consider the maintenance of the residence in general. Is there water damage that could hold fungus in the walls? Could there be a pest problem. Have the air ducts or air filters been cleaned or replaced prior to moving in?
But I'm hearing Strange Noises ?
Strange noises at night go hand in hand with the paranormal. Are they the same noises as during the day? When we turn the lights out at night our vision goes with the lights. When this happens our other senses take over: ears, smell and touch. Without our sight we feel vulnerable and defenseless causing us to become more alert and focused. Every little creek in the floor boards become amplified in the dark. Could it be that we are just more aware of our surroundings because of the lack of light? Try matching the noises with the lights on but close your eyes, or better yet, listen during the day. Pets can do strange things at night. Other common things are voices during the night. Could it be the kid on the cell phone late at night? The neighbors talking into the wee hours of the morning? Move around the house and see if you can hear the same sounds.
My house sits next to a graveyard. Now what ?
Hollywood has made it difficult to see the forest for the trees. The two things we hear most are, someone died here and the house was built on an old Indian burial ground. Tell you the truth, it doesn’t really matter where you’re house was built because the state law prohibits building homes on burial sites and people die inside homes all the time. The reason your house may be haunted could be unrelated to either one of these scenarios. It could just be a loved one checking up on you. The most important thing is not to believe everything Hollywood tells you.
After I pulled my back out I started seeing ghosts
Legal drugs to illegal drugs, the cause and effects can create paranormal activity. Under some circumstances mixing vitamins and cold medicines can give you the ideal environment for paranormal activity. Call your doctor if paranormal activity occurs if taking new medications. If it’s caused by illegal drug use, then you’re on your own.
What about temperature change
A ghost’s touch ? Looking for the dead is like looking for a certain needle in a stack of needles. When there is a temperature change doesn’t always mean there’s a ghost. It could be a draft in the room, open window, or the air kicking on. Cold spots form in homes just like they do outside. A drastic change in the environment is what we look for. If a room is 60 deg but one spot in the room is 30 deg and it’s moving it maybe something trying to manifest it’s self. Once again this is very rare but not unlikely. If you take all the mechanical reasons away you have a better shot at paranormal activity
Why do I see keep seeing ghosts out of the corner of my eye?
I often have heard this: "Out of the corner of my eye I saw...." Fill in the blank: Shadow, movement, moving shadow, something moving fast, etc.
Rather than a cause for alarm or take off in that direction during an investigation, in most cases this phenomenon is simply due to the physical construction of our eyes, and the interpretations our brains make of images which are received without a lot of visual data.
According to ScienceDaily.com, "We have surprisingly low visual acuity (resolution) in parts of the visual field that are not at the center of gaze — where we are looking. We are not aware of this because we instinctively direct our center of gaze to where we are looking.
The center of gaze, called the fovea, has a higher density of cones than anywhere else on the retina. In fact, at the fovea, there are no rods at all. The fovea evolved to have the highest possible visual acuity, and the cones are as small as they can possibly be and still function. Moreover, in the fovea, the retinal ganglion cells have smaller receptive fields, and in the periphery, they have much larger receptive fields.
Are Intelligent ghosts Dangerous ?
Intelligent ghosts are not "evil" or "dangerous," as some people would have you believe. "Intelligent" ghosts are simply human personalities, and if the spirit was a kind and caring person in life, the spirit will most likely be the same way in death. Likewise, angry and mean people will usually keep those same negative character traits as spirits.
