by Ben Robison

It is pretty common knowledge that most paranormal researchers in this field have their own theories & beliefs. This is possibly due to the results from their own studies or through research on this topic. Nonetheless, I am no exception. Mine is based on both, as some of theirs may well be also. They may also find that some of what I’ll be talking about will either overlap or directly correlate to their theories or beliefs.

Let’s start off with energy. Energy comes in many forms. There is thermal, chemical, radiant, nuclear, elastic, mechanical, luminous, sound, electrical, and magnetic energy. For the most part what I’ll be covering will focus on the last two; electrical and magnetic energy. This is not to negate that the other forms of energy come into play here though. Now, with all due respect and recognition to each theory out there, I see more relevance that lends credence to and / or supports the theory that spirits (intelligent, residual, human, non-human, etc.) can exist on many radiofrequencies. Radiofrequency is a derivative of both electrical and magnetic energies, making it much more difficult for us to capture them as the range of frequencies is wide and layered. It’s not just the common frequencies thought of on the radio or TV, it includes any & all of them; from the extreme low, up to the extreme high. Knowing what frequency they’ll show up on, at any given moment, is even more difficult and there lies our challenge.

For spirits, it may come down to an emotion. Whether induced by provocation or a genuine gesture, we may invoke a change in the frequency in which they might communicate through. The same could be said for an imprinted event recorded in the fabric surrounding the episode. Whatever emotions were preserved in the landscape may from time to time garner enough energy on that particular frequency to activate the playback of this documented event; hence energizing a residual haunting. The human body is a complex electrical system. We even have a special group of cells called cardiac myocytes that are responsible for generating the electrical impulses that keep the heart pumping along with other functions. We have also discovered that human emotions also have their own frequencies, and when we are having a particular emotion it changes our frequency overall as well. This introduces the neurobiological dynamic of this theory with the body working as its own power plant creating electrical signals and possessing its own magnetic field; the two combined allow for radiofrequency naturally. As emotions change, so do the frequencies, and the body transmits these signals, essentially acting as a biological transponder.

There are caveats to this though. Being aware that certain frequencies are more vulnerable to the ingress of “noise” than others is an important dynamic to factor in with regard to my theory. It is also well known that there is more noise during the civilized, technology driven human daytime we reside in. Yes, I also recognize that there is noise around the clock. However, even in the field I work in (telecommunication), we perform maintenance procedures in the early AM hours as there is less impact due to lower usage. As an example, take a look at a graph I took a snapshot of from Google’s monitoring graph system. As you can see, it reflects the dip in traffic in the wee hours of the morning. Now, please understand that I am not trying to wrap this theory all up in a neat little package referencing the frequencies used in the telecom world; rather I am using this as it offers good visuals that precisely corresponds to the SERM theory and why, as paranormal researchers, we should investigate between the hours of midnight to 4 AM (locally). Humans are cyclic and the things we’ve created & surround ourselves with, more often than not, maintain this same pattern. That being said, I believe that my readers will be able to put two & two together and see the full picture here.

So, if spirits reside in these frequencies and there is more interference during the daytime due to increased “traffic” on a larger scale of frequencies, it seems that the chances of getting a “clearer picture” would be when there is a lull in frequency usage; therefore investigating between midnight and 4 AM will increase our odds of making contact with spirits. It is also plausible that these influxes of frequencies have attributed to “fueling” these spirits and, in turn, allowing for more frequent encounters. What needs to be done now, in my humble opinion, is for more equipment to be designed that can measure the full frequency range which encompasses sound, light, radio (Extremely Low Frequency – ELF all the way to Extremely High Frequency – EHF), neurobiological, etc. A full spectrum camera, for instance, would also be able to be coupled with software that could tell us what frequency an artifact in question is. Or complimenting a full spectrum camera with the capability to take thermal photos as well, again offering the frequency of an anomaly with the software.

It seems we are focusing on devices that measure a certain range of frequencies, and most don’t even record them. I must also make acknowledgement with respect to FCC regulations and understand that some frequencies are prohibited without special access or licenses. This should not be a deterrent, but a challenge that can be achieved through mass support & efforts within the paranormal research community. I would love to see a device that could trigger a photo to be snapped or a video to start recording as a result of EMF spikes, thermal hits, and uncommon frequency usage. This device would have the capability to record video, audio, photos, EMF, radio, thermal, etc. Then we would use the software to determine the frequency in which the captured anomalies in question were sitting on. When spirits change frequency due to varying emotions our gear could monitor and capture these moments. We could take it farther & farther, but right now we look through a peephole when we should be surveying through a telescope. We’re waiting for them to manifest on the small window of frequencies we’ve been vigilantly watching when they could, in fact, be bouncing around on many other frequencies (due to changes in emotion) our gear is not designed to cover. Theoretically we are only getting a fragment of the message that we could be receiving. I know for myself, my clients, and for the sake of seeking to understand, it seems it only behooves of us to help ourselves accomplish what most of us in this field of research set out to do…scientifically confirm the existence of ghosts.

References

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/heart4.htm

http://www.lifespalett.co.uk/vb_fr_em.html

http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/traffic/

http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/cells-tissues/human-body-make-electricity.htm

http://www.hps.org/hpspublications/articles/rfradiation.html

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/2003-allochrt.pdf

http://www.bostonscientific.com/lifebeat-online/heart-smart/electrical-system.html

http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/sciencemeasures.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091211131520.htm

To begin, ever since Friedrich Jürgenson recorded voices from the deceased over 50 years ago, paranormal researchers have continued trying to make contact to the other side using recording devices of all types & fashions as well as radio coupled with background noise. However, this method leaves room for too many ambiguous results since most of the time it’s not possible to discern whether the voices come from spirits or from the program airing on that particular radio station. This is where EVP’s become easily debunked by fellow investigators and / or skeptics. Utilizing Instrumental Trans-Communication (ITC) techniques improve the bar at which investigators can detect paranormal activity with no radio interference while making the results more reliable.

EVP sessions & the recording devices used

As a paranormal researcher you are faced immediately with the challenge of recording voices from spirits. This is no easy feat to achieve since the frequency at which spirits “speak” on is not indigenously audible to the human ear. The intention with EVP is that a spirit can make itself audible to us, in the physical world, by utilizing a fragment or portion of ambient sound available in our environment (i.e.:  noise generated from mechanical parts, TV’s, radios, etc.). This is generically known as “white noise”. In theory, spirits are able to manipulate such white noise in order to shape words, phrases, guttural sounds, and sometimes even full sentences. Since the birth of this theory paranormal researchers have been employing these techniques for decades in an attempt to manufacture white noise in order to allow it to be manipulated by spirits in an effort to obtain contact from them.

Words, phrases, guttural sounds along with full sentences captured in these recordings are believed to be the direct result of manipulating white noise provided by mechanical parts, TV’s, radios, etc. However, some of the EVP acquired may contain a direct response from a question asked or remark made by an investigator. This must be compelling enough to make it worthwhile evidence to either analyze further or consider evidence of a spirit response. Things you must consider or factor in when weighing in whether these are actual voices from the other side:

• Media contamination - Those who use tapes to record their EVP sessions need to make sure to never use the same tape twice. If you do so, you risk the potential of left over remnants / artifacts from previous recordings that did not get fully erased. Therefore creating a false positive. This can not only damage the rapport of your group within the paranormal research community, but lead your clients on to believe there was interaction when there was not.
  
• Radio interference - Devices such as the Frank’s “ghost” Box are electronic devices used by paranormal researchers that are AM and / or FM tuners designed (technically hacked) to continuously scan though AM or FM channels, in turn, producing audio clips as well as white noise. The use of a ghost box can make it difficult to determine whether the anomalies recorded are voices from spirits or just a result of audio clips from the radio coincidentally producing an intelligent response or from an actual spirit trying to communicate back to you. Most importantly; and contrary to popular belief, I discovered a very interesting fact that ALL paranormal researchers should be enlightened to with regard to EVP’s. The use of obscenity, indecency and / or profanity on the radio. For example, most paranormal researchers investigate in the wee hours of the morning (i.e.: P.O.R.T. holds our investigations between the hours of 12am-4am). If you heard cursing or indecent statements between the hours of 12am to 4am (using P.O.R.T.’s investigation time slot as an example), it is possible that “EVP” is not an EVP at all and actually originated from an aired program.  Here is why – It is not in direct violation against FCC (Federal Communications Commission) laws regarding Obscenity, Indecency and Profanity between the hours of 10pm to 6am local time to allow such content. For more clarification refer to: http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/oip/Welcome.html However, don’t dismiss it as well. Try to consider what was heard. If you heard screaming or pleas this might also be worthwhile to document. Having someone nearby with a functioning radio to confirm current programming being aired might be helpful in debunking false EVP’s.
• Analyzers’ influence – It is a common finding that most EVP’s recorded through such devices aren’t discernible at first. More often than not, it’s necessary to listen to them many times in order to grasp what was being said. Even with the aid of audio editing software you still may find yourself undecided on what exactly is being said in the audio. Some will seek assistance from a consultant who holds an occupation in the field of audio forensics. The use of consultants allows for an unbiased professional opinion without the historical knowledge of case specifics, thus leaving them uninfluenced. If a second party or professional consultant can’t concur that they hear the same EVP that the analyzer has extrapolated, then this can indicate that the analyzer might be influencing their belief of what is there to validate the anomalous audio clip as being evidence. This is why all researchers analyzing audio should keep their findings to themselves until the appropriate time to compare & contrast with their fellow peers.

Background Noise usage during your EVP session

Over the years ITC techniques have evolved. To the point even that it’s plausible to use some sort of background noise without radio interference. One way is to find and old TV and remove the antenna system out of it thus rendering it useless for picking up over the air broadcasts (video or audio). Once you have done so you can couple this with your recording device and use the static generated from the omitted signal whilst holding an EVP session. Another method is to create background noise is using a CD or digital audio file (i.e.: MP3) that has prerecorded static / white noise. Again, coupling this with your recording device while holding an EVP session. Another technique, not as frequently used or known about is the use of random phonemes that have been previously recorded onto a CD or in the form of a digital audio file. Examples of phonemes would be: the sound p in ‘pet’ and b in ‘bet’ are examples of vowel phonemes, the sounds j in ‘judge’ and sh in ‘ship’ are consonant phonemes; diphthongs include the oy sound in ‘boy’ and the ay sound in ‘bay’. Playing these during an EVP session could allow for the spirit to utilize the phonemes to form words and communicate a message. To better understand what phonemes are and there use follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoneme

A key strategy when using phonemes is to make sure they don’t mean anything when put together.  The last thing you want is a scripted dialog as this would thwart your cause. Some researchers suggest that you have at least a 150 different phonemes recorded, and that they must be repeated for a minimum of 20 minutes during your EVP session. This is believed to ensure you have enough quality material to offer the spirit(s) to form responses out of. However, I will leave that up to each researcher to figure out what works best for them. Now listening to this recording of phonemes outside of an EVP session will just come across as gibberish. For example, something like this: “fabeepoyshayjuh”. But, once you begin your EVP session and spiritual communication commences these phonemes could be transformed by the corresponding spirit(s) into superimposed responses such as: “I am here”, “Leave me alone”, “Go away”, “Help me” or whatever response they choose. If the phoneme recording you have; that obviously does not contain spirit responses, is employed for all EVP sessions, and yet still every response has a different message. This proves there’s no possibility that these responses were apart of the previous phoneme recording.

When you have concluded your EVP session and move forward with the analysis of these recordings, I would suggest consulting with a few of  your colleagues (that were not present at the investigation) to listen to and / or analyze the recordings. The hope here is that they can validate what you believe you captured & heard. If the majority of them are in agreement about what was caught in the recording, this will lend credence that you have, in fact, obtained authentic and intelligent spiritual communication. Additionally, anytime you can correlate EVP’s with any other technology such as camcorders and / or EMF meters strengthens its credibility. Therefore making your evidence more solid and not as susceptible to dismissal due to its lackluster nature or easy debunking.

This topic seems to become more and more glamorized with the onslaught of Hollywood movies that distort our understanding of demonic hauntings. Now, I enjoy horror movies like many others, and I can even accept some of the Hollywood exaggerations that come with it. However, the reason I am somewhat tolerant of it is because I know better. Studying the signs of a demonic presence requires acumen beyond that of a arm-chair enthusiast of paranormal movies & TV shows. Unless you have fallen victim to a demonic haunting there is no way you can truly know all that can entail its wrath. That is, by chance as a paranormal investigator, you happen to cross paths with one by means of your involvement in a case taken on by you or your team. But, how do you determine that what you are dealing with, in fact, is a demon? The process in doing so can be very arduous while taking its toll on each & every person involved. If you ever suspect you are up against a demonic spirit you better be ready for the long haul and bring your “A” game. It is not for the weak of heart.

Looking at this from a broad scope will best prepare you for the different beliefs, encounters, approach, and methods that have been applied for many millennia. Scores of religions and ancient people have formed their own beliefs / understandings of these entities and their experiences with them.  With this comes many names and a plethora of “demons”, some of which are: Jinn, Se’irim, Shedim, Shedu, Asmodai, Haggadah, Samael, Shayātīn, Iblis, Vetalas, Yakshas, Bhūta, and Pishachas. Knowledge is key to identifying a demon sooner than later. The more you know, the better you are armed for whatever it may throw at you.

Signs of demonic hauntings can be, but not limited to:

• Unexplainable noises knocks, bangs, crashing, growls, and / or guttural sounds.
• Physical manipulation of objects, from being thrown around or at you, to an area being “trashed”.
• Electrical issues such as: repeated faulting lights and appliances, as well as fuses blowing or lights popping.
• Animals may begin to act in abnormally. Growling, barking incessantly, having “accidents”, and subjugating to an invisible force.
• Feelings of oppression, intense anger and disturbing thoughts while in the home or on the property. However, once you leave this area, you immediately “normalize”.
• Photo or video anomalies where photos & video frames prior to and post of the anomaly where light is absorbed and darkness is the background with images of some being in it.
• Foul or unpleasant smells that you cannot determine where it is originating or does not stay in the same area
• Attacks from an unseen force that leaves bruises and scratches on your body for which you cannot explain.
• Visibly seeing an apparition in the form of a human, but has deformed characteristics such as a missing eyes, warped face, and animal parts in the place of where human parts would be, just to name a few.
• Negative reactions to religious / holy artifacts and / or paraphernalia like that mentioned above.

If the majority of these traits are found, it would most definitely indicate that you are dealing with a demonic entity. Now the real work begins…getting rid of it. I will cover the steps you should take with my follow up article called “Dealing with and ousting a demon” in the near future, so stay tuned!

1.  First and foremost, always get written permission to search the premises. Verbal permission is not sufficient. I would highly recommend creating an “Investigation Permission Form” that should be completely filled out and signed by the owner / manager / authorized personnel as well as a member of your team / organization as this serves as a temporary but written contract granting permission to be on the site to perform a paranormal investigation.

2.  Always carry identification. This is mainly common sense, but it’s mainly for the reasons that if you’re on a investigation which could be an abandoned building to a grave yard and you or your team are approached by a local law official. The officer can then verify with the site owners that you are with said team / organization and have permission to be on the site. Refer to the above written agreement with the owner / manager/ authorized personnel.

3.  Never go alone. Things could get dangerous. Not just in a spiritual sense, but if you’re investigating an old & decrepit building for example, it could be a structural hazard. In some scenarios, it may be deemed precautionary for each person to have a cell phone on their person. In normal situations it is always good for investigators to leave cell phones off. It should only be used in an emergency and only if the Two-way radio cannot reach back to the intended recipient. Remember also, the living comes first. Never put yourself or anyone else in danger.

4.  Make sure that your equipment is always clean. This procedure will rule out some of the possibilities of a “false artifacts” and ruining your credentials when reporting your findings / evidence back to your team. Your ability to effectively investigate, review and build a strong dependable rapport starts first within the organization you represent. From there, as a group you can stand unified in the same abilities when presenting your evidence to your clients and possibly the world.

5.  Promote positive energy and always be respectful of the deceased. Spirits / ghosts are more likely to manifest themselves or communicate if you don’t pose a threat to them. Sometimes using provocation is a necessary tactic and can be employed when an investigator deems it worthwhile to elicit a specific reaction.

6.  Interview witnesses and try to get the full story. Be objective; try to find a natural cause to the claims or events. Try to debunk the situation in a professional and respectful manner. Remember, these folks want to know why their home / business or property has activity / strange happenings and are generally concerned about it. Especially if they have children. It is not your place to be condescending, but it is your place to be analytical.

7.  Cigarettes, alcohol or drugs do NOT belong on the site. Cigarette smoke is one of the main causes of a false artifacts and drinking will ruin the credibility and professional image that your organization wants to uphold. If you are a smoker, designate a safe area or time for you to smoke so as not to corrupt any investigation site being worked. Even if the owner / manager/ authorized personnel tells you it is ok, you must still (for the sake of paranormal research) respectfully stay the course.

8.  If the recording device you are using utilizes a tape media, then it is essential that you always use fresh / new audio and video tapes. This ensures a clean and quality recording and keeps things from being cross-contaminated from previous recordings.

9.  Every member and guest(s) on the investigation should audibly “tag” what they see and hear. If someone sneezes or mist forms in front of you, then it needs to be audibly pointed out. Try to determine what was the origin of the sound or at the least that you acknowledge it. That way, at the end of each investigation, it can speed up the review process so you’re not wasting time & resources on false artifacts.

10.  Never wear perfume, cologne or any distinct scent; because a lot of experiences are from a spirit letting you know that it’s there by using some sort of fragrance. Prior studies have shown an association of pleasant scent suggests a pleasant spirit. A sudden foul odor usually has suggested that it is possibly malevolent.

11.  Keep plenty of batteries with you is smart as you may find someone or something else stealing power from the batteries in your equipment. Also, if you have all the necessary tools and equipment you are ready for most anything that you may come across. Being ready means you have more time to investigate and not spending it running back & forth for supplies or gear.

12.  Never come to a conclusion on site. It’s best to weigh in all the evidence collected and compare notes before coming to a conclusion. Reserve any on site conclusions or personal opinion until all photos, videos, and audio have been studied / reviewed. If asked for an opinion, a suggested response (and really your honest frame of thinking as well) should be, “We’ll try to find out what’s making this happen.” It’s not good to say it’s paranormal until the case has been completed and time for the reveal of evidence to the client. You may find that additional follow up investigations are necessary in order to really get a full understanding of what may or may not be going on. So keep that in mind as well.

Tips for capturing E.V.P.’s

1.  Set the recording device down on a level plane, this will rule out vibrations, shuffling and movement on the devices’ body from an unsteady hand.

2.  Speak clearly, never whisper. Whispering is a nightmare to differentiate during the analysis phase.

3.  Audibly note any sound heard or anomaly seen.

4.  Do NOT wear or carry noisy items. (i.e.: jewelry, change, loud clothing or shoes, etc.)

5.  Always state time, date, physical location and who’s present (living that is) when you begin recording.

6.  Always record in short sessions. This way it will be easier to review.

7.  Ask simple questions and allow approximately 20 seconds for an answer.

Example questions to ask…

·         Anyone here that would like to answer some questions?

·         Are you male or female?

·         What is your name?

·         Are you married?

·         Can you make a noise for me/us?

·         Can we take a picture of you?

·         Do you want us to leave?

·         Do you know you’re dead?

·         What year is it?

·         Why do you like it here?

·         Do you want to leave this place?

·         How did you die?

·         Would you like for us to pass a message along to someone?

These are just a few tips for catching a really good EVP. Remember, friendly spirits are more willing to communicate if you give off positive energy. Try to team up male / female and take turns answering questions. Sometimes spirits will most likely respond to one sex more than the other. Yelling or threatening a spirit is a gamble, because even if they’re friendly they can become agitated and could possibly pose harm.  It may be that they are frightened or intimidated and in turn decide not to commune with you. In the event you are dealing with something darker or potentially malevolent, this may be the it needed to take things to the next level. A level you or your team may not want or be prepared for. That’s why it’s better to ask short and simple questions. Stray away from long and thoughtful ones. Less is more.

Tips for photo / video recording

1.  Avoid taking video or stills during any kind of weather conditions (rain, snow, hail, sand storm) or where smoke is visible.

2.  Hold your breath when taking stills on a cold night.

3.  Hold the camera still. Movement will distort the photo.

4.  Avoid taking photos of shiny or reflective things.

5.  Learn and know what your equipment can and cannot do. Test it out before going on a hunt.

6.  Never take a photo or anything towards a light. It will create a glare and destroy any possible evidence you may or may not have.

So, there you have it. These tips will really help you keep focused on what you set out to do while making things easier for you & your team in the long run. Think smarter, not harder.

The first step when contacting a potential client is to conduct an email (keeping it as sweet and short as possible, as you don’t want to bore, overwhelm and / or discourage them from reading the email) which is:

1. Professional (spelling, grammar, etc.)
2. Introduces you and / or your organization
3. Show the potential client you’ve studied their home / building / property by giving details and / or compliments about it specifically
4. Outlines what you’d like to do while visiting / investigating
5. Offer to talk more about your team doing an investigation further via email or phone (leaving the next method of communication up them) and touch on the fact the you’ll cover more details at that point
6. Make sure to include your phone # or if your organization has main line, give that as well

You see, it doesn’t have to be labor intensive or exhausting for them to read. It merely needs to get to the nuts & bolts of who you are, why you are contacting them and your interests.  Now, there will be some scenarios where calling them is more ideal. The reason I like for my team to email first is that it gives them an opportunity to think about it, where as a phone call comes across a little more aggressive (think about your experiences with phone solicitors). In most of these scenarios, you are contacting them as the party interested in doing an investigation at their home / building / property because it is known for being haunted or seems ideal for an investigation. You have no way to know for sure if they are currently interested or even open to paranormal investigations for many reasons that are unknown to you. Additionally, it might be timing. If you catch them at a bad time you might just get a brash reaction followed with the proverbial hang-up “click”.

*Note: None of this guarantees you will secure the case, but it sure will help you stick out differently than so many other groups who lack tact and common sense.

1. What do you think is needed to be prepared for a Walkthrough?
2. What kind of questions do you think are crucial to the Research phase?
3. Where do you look for information / history on a person?
4. Where do you look for information / history on a home, building, or piece of land?
5. On cases where we use our Psychic / Medium (Tera), what information do you think she needs to know about the case?
6. What should you be thinking about in regards of what to bring with you to an investigation?
7. What should you know about the case the day of the investigation?
8. How does preparedness affect our clients?