Are You Really Talking to a Ghost?

I have to preface with saying, that I love the show, Ghost Hunters, on the SciFi channel. What paranormal investigator doesn't? TAPS investigation methodology is what inspired most of our founders to start S.P.I. That being said, the 2007 summer finale where the team investigated the former site (or near site, to be more specific) of the infamous Manson Murders, left me with serious doubts as to the actual ability of the K-2 Meter, brought on board by Chris Fleming.
First of all, the method of using a very sensitive EMF meter to essentially communicate with sprits seemed to work, but it seemed to work too well. Now, I know that SciFi has to take a heck of a lot of footage out before leaving in enough of a multi-hour investigation to make a half-hour segment of a one hour show. But, if I may, I'd like to make some suggestions to my less-skeptic friends in the field about using a device like the K-2 out in the field.

First, if you're using a device that sensitive, don't time the questions perfectly. Second, observe the majority of "answers" that you’re getting. If, as in the GH episode in questions, you are getting primarily "yes" answers, or two flashes on the LED readout, ask the same questions again, with a different qualifier. In other words, if you ask, "Is your name George Washington?" and you get a "yes" answer, immediately follow up with asking, "is your name Elmer Fudd?" If the answer is still yes, then you obviously have a problem. If the answer is no, don't jump up and down, shouting "it works, it works." Then ask again, "Is your name George Washington?" If you get a no, then you obviously have a problem. If you get a yes, ask George Washington again. Repeat this until you get at least 3-4 positive responses to a question.

Why, you ask, do I suggest this? The first answer, I think, is obvious. We're testing the legitimacy of spiritual response. But, once you get two positives, why would you keep asking until you get 3 or 4? Because aside from testing the responses you also want to test for patterns? In other words, if you constantly get a yes-no-yes-no pattern, it can likely be assumed that there is something in the area generating a magnetic pulse. But, if you're getting yes-yes-no-no-no-yes-no, etc., and all of the yes answers match, then you have something a little more solid to present as evidence.

I have no problem using any type of EMF detection device to try and communicate with spirits. In fact, I think that it's a pretty innovative idea. But, if you're going to do it, then you have to do it within the bounds of an acceptable scientific method.

Be safe in your investigations.

-Matthew Vickers

Understanding Hypnogogia

Hypnogogia is a term inclusive of hypnogogic and hypnopompic experiences, which occur while falling asleep and when waking up respectively. The phenomena occur while individuals are in a state of penumbra, which is just a fancy term for the transition period between the sleeping world, and the waking world, and include the same type of sensations.

Common experiences associated with hypnogogia include fear, shortness of breath, sleep paralysis, a sensation of not being alone, falling sensations, and even visual and auditory sensations.

I do not claim to be an expert in the area of hypnogogia, but I experienced the phenomenon from my childhood through my late teens before I understood what it was. The experiences ranged from mild to terrifying, and though not what I considered “frequent” in occurrence, they were certainly not rare.

My own experiences with hypnogogia included sleep paralysis as well as audio and visual hallucinations. Quite frequently, I would wake, unable to move, and hearing whispers in the room. The whispers would grow louder and louder until eventually there were screams…multiple voices shouting incomprehensible words as I tried as hard as I could to get out of bed, unable to move.

And then, it would end with an absolutely bizarre abruptness. The more unsettling thing about hypnogogia is that often, outside stimulation can bleed over to the conscious world, this adds to the realism of the sensation (and I assure you, if you’ve never experienced it, the sensation is vividly realistic). In fact on several occasions, I’d hear my mother talking on the phone, or seeing my father off to work blended in with the other auditory sensations. Being the inquisitive lad that I was, I questioned my mother about whether or not she was actually carrying on conversations during that morning, and when I got an affirmative answer, I was left wondering if I was actually experiencing something paranormal, or if I was just going crazy.

It wasn’t until my late teens that the experiences became truly disturbing. At that time, the sensations were the same, except that the auditory sensations would begin with my eyes closed, and part of the sleep paralysis stopped me from opening them. The auditory sensations would end with the same abruptness, but now, still unable to move the rest of my body, I would see a dark figure standing right next to my bed. As soon as I could move, it would vanish.

There are still studies being conducted as to the cause of these phenomena, with some experts asserting that insomnia or excessive daytime weariness can bring on hypnogogia. Personally, I find that the severity of my experiences directly correlated with the irregularity of my sleep pattern. In other words, the more erratic my sleep became, the higher the intensity of my hypnogogia.

We are still researching the prevalence of this psychiatric phenomenon, but a 1996 study from The British Journal of Psychiatry reports that the experiences can be as high as 37% of people experiencing hypnogogic hallucinations (while falling asleep), and 12.5% of people experiencing hypnopompic hallucinations (while waking up).

Paranormal investigators have to keep these phenomena in mind when interviewing clients, and provide education and information about the experiences. There are various sources of information on the web. Wikipedia, while not always the most reliable source of information, does provide information for some useful information and sources. WebMD has several articles on the subject, as both phenomena can be associated with narcolepsy. Even a simple Google search can turn up loads of information.

It’s never a wise thing to seem as if you’re discounting an individual’s personal experience, so be careful about how you bring this one up…but definitely bring it up if the patterns fit.

As always, be safe in your investigations.

Matthew Vickers

The False Peril of the Ouija

I am here now, to explain the two causes behind the great mysteries of the infamously dreaded Ouija Board. I am no doubt going to get a lot of flack for this from my fellow paranormal investigators, because they more often than not warn against the use of such a device, claiming that it invites unfriendly spirits to dwell with the user, and often destroy the owners' lives.

Let me start by saying, that this article is not a suggestion for everyone to rush out and buy themselves a Ouija Board and start communicating with the dead. Skeptic though I am, from a "better-safe-than-sorry" standpoint, I'd say avoid it. Heck, from an "it's-a-stupid-game-anyway" standpoint, I'd say avoid it. If you're just itching to play a Parker Bros Game, stick with Monopoly, at least then you get the enjoyment of a little bald guy wearing a monocle.

So, the first question on everyone's lips: have I ever used a Ouija Board? The answer is no. No more than I've ever "used" Monopoly, or Hungry Hungry Hippos, or Clue. So, change that question up a bit. Have I ever "played" with a Ouija Board? The answer is yes. A few times with my brother and aunt who was babysitting us at the time. Did we ever experience any paranormal or malicious forces acting out after that fateful night? No. Did the Ouija Board give us strange and sometimes frightening answers to our childlike questions? Absolutely. Do I know what was causing the "pointer" to move on its own? Absolutely. I was. And later, I found out, so was my brother. Then still later (years later, in fact), I found out, so was my aunt.

Herein lies the first answer to the great mysteries of the Ouija Board -- someone's moving that freaking little pointer thing. That's the only maliciousness behind the dreaded game, the fact that other people get a kick out of scaring someone else. I'm a little ashamed to admit, that I was once a person like this...and apparently so was my aunt, and so was my brother. Granted, my brother and I were about 10 and 11 respectively, and my aunt was about 19, so we've matured over time. But what about all the people who have used a Ouija Board and experienced demonic infestations and inexplicable poltergeist activity directly related to the use of the board? I'm getting to that. But first, I want to delve into the second great mystery of the Ouija Board.

Is it possible that there are some people out there who utilize this "bored" game and honestly do not move it, but then experience strange and telling answers from a pointer that seems to drag their hands along with it? Yes. But what happens when you blindfold the "players." What? You've never tried? Well guess what? Other people have. James Randi had people use the board when they were unable to see it, and the resulting answers were a random assortment of letters. Penn and Teller went a step further, asking only yes or no questions, and turning the board upside down (unbeknownst to the players). Their hands would drift to where "Yes" and "No" were supposed to be, but instead found empty space. Good times, yes, but what causes the movements of the freaking pointer thing when people swear that they are not moving anything?

The answer lies in a psychological phenomenon known as the Ideometer Effect, where subjects make motions unconsciously, typically through unconscious suggestion, clues, or desires. If a seance is going on, and the people really want to hear a "yes" to the question of murder and other horrible questions, then chances are that their hands will guide them there via the Ideometer Effect. Not convinced? We're going to tackle the issue more in our Research and Development section.

So, if I take the stance of "better-safe-than-sorry" when it comes to not using the Ouija Board, why is it so important to make a point as to the harmlessness of the object? In normal, everyday life, I don't think that there is a point. But, in the field of paranormal investigation, it is absolutely essential that we understand, because we may walk into a home with a lot of activity, ask the owners if they've used a Ouija Board, and assume that the use of the board is the root of all their problems. This level of assumption could be disastrous for the client, especially if an inhuman or demonic force is behind their strife.

Given the popularity of the board, and the number of units sold over the decades, we must do further research as to the ratio of boards sold to paranormal experiences caused. I hypothesize that we will find a very low correlation (more data to come in R&D). If the Ouija Board is not a cause of negative paranormal activity, and I'll be honest with you, I'm highly dubious, then we need to be looking for another source. Sure, we should ask if they have used a Ouija Board as part of our interviewing process, but let's not all jump up and assume that the Ouija Board is the cause of their dilemma.

Be safe in your investigations.

Matthew Vickers

Infrasound - A Brief Introduction

In sound frequencies, ultrasound is frequencies of sound waves that are above the range of human hearing--too high pitched. On the opposite end of the frequency spectrum--sound too low for human hearing (anything below about 20Hz)--we have infrasound. It has been known for some time that exposure to infrasound can have quite an interesting effect on the human central nervous system.

Infrasonic frequencies can cause feelings of temperature drop, nervousness, feelings of being watched, and paranoia. In addition, within the 15-20Hz region, we find the resonant frequency of the human retina (approximately 19Hz). This sound frequency can actually cause the retina to vibrate, which can cause object in your peripheral vision to blur.

This blurred object combined with a feeling of not being alone causes the mind to assume that the blur in their vision is a person, and when they turn to see them, the blur that they assumed was a person, vanished instantly.

Clearly, these phenomena are categorically similar with many standard paranormal phenomena. But, how do we know when infrasound is the cause of the "haunting?" The answer is complex. There are many causes of infrasound, both manmade and natural in origin. Manmade sources can range from subways to exhaust vents. Natural sources can include storms, tornados, earthquakes, or even ocean waves.

I would be willing to be that a great number of paranormal experiences could be debunked by detecting, locating and if possible, isolating causes of infrasound throughout a location. However, this in itself poses a problem.

Using equipment to detect infrasound on a modest budget can be quite the challenge. For more information on how S.P.I. approaches infrasonic detection, please be sure to frequently visit our Research and Development section.

Matthew Vickers

The Ambient Energy Paradox

There seems to be some consensus in the paranormal field regarding the relationship between spirit activity and energy fluctuations. I've both heard and read from experts in the field that spirits draw from the energy in the room in order to speak, become visible, or in rare cases, move objects. This theory seems to be justified by evidence that demonstrates correlations between spirit activity and cold spots/EMF spikes/mysteriously draining batteries, etc. Given the Law of Conservation of Energy, spiritual draws on surrounding energy seems to be a reasonable theory.

However, there also seems to be some consensus in the field that "going dark," which is to say performing an investigation at night with all lights out (except for equipment) is the best way to obtain evidence of a spirit because during the day, a spirit would have to "compete" with the ambient energy of the area. I find this assertion to be paradoxical to the previous statement.

If spirits draw from the surrounding ambient energy, then sun-up-lights-on should provide a spectral smorgasbord. Sunlight and electricity should feed spirits enough to generate some really good EVPs, or hurl tables across banquet halls. Granted, ghosts would have a difficult time forming an apparition given the more intense ambient light. However, it seems that if the spirit was drawing nearby energy, then you'd see a manipulation in the surrounding light--possibly a dimming or an anomalous shadow. Perhaps this lends credence to "shadow people."

In any case, I think that it is safe to say that the theories surrounding relationships between paranormal activity warrant some further insight and research. I would propose spending more time gathering data from sites during the day. This would be particularly helpful for newer, less known investigators, who could investigate cemeteries (and other typically-haunted public places), which are open during the day, but closed at night. If research points to a surge of non-visual activity during day hours, it will lend credibility to the spirit-energy-usage theory, but will slightly refute previous ideologies of going dark.

If the data does not justify that time of higher ambient energy (sun-up-lights-on) leading to increased non-visual spirit activity, then further research needs to be conducted as to why spirits seem to be more active when the sun goes down and the lights go off.

As always, be safe in your investigating.

Matthew Vickers

S.P.I. Mission and Core Values

Mission
S.P.I. is dedicated to the research and explanation of apparent paranormal activity as well as developing innovations and advancements in technology specifically designed for paranormal investigation. We are committed to providing an explanation for that which remains unexplained.

Our commitment to the communities we serve is to educate, comfort, or otherwise assist as necessary, families whose experiences with apparent paranormal activity results in an unnecessary amount of stress or other emotional hardship.

Core Values
1) It is unreasonable to expect someone to be afraid in their own home.
2) Self-proclaimed “psychics” or “sensitives” are of no value to legitimate paranormal investigation unless they can unequivocally prove the validity of their abilities.
3) Only through a desire of “reason” can the true source of paranormal activity be discovered. S.P.I. does not want to find a ghost. S.P.I. does not want to debunk. We are concerned with the reason behind the activity.
4) Reputation hinges upon professionalism and privacy.
5) S.P.I. does not charge for its services.
6) There are things in this world that we do not understand.