Becoming a Paranormal Investigator
Thursday April 24, 2008 8:22 AM
Believe it or not, there are classes you can take to become a paranormal investigator. While many are free, others do charge. However, there are so many other resources available that you shouldn't have to pay to take a class. In addition, there are countless theories regarding the realm of the paranormal, so it's probably best to avoid paying for a class. Do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
It's important to understand that a fascination with the paranormal doesn't always equate to an ability to investigate. To see if the investigative environment is a comfortable setting for you, do a test run. Take another person and go somewhere local. Go there during the daytime and go there at night. Don't take anything elaborate. Take a notepad, a pencil, a digital camera, a simple voice recorder and lots of batteries. Go to your location more than once. Research the location's history. Write down everything that happens. If you feel comfortable doing all this, then you know you can take more steps to become an investigator. If you were totally scared, however, maybe it's best that you don't go any further. You don't want to put yourself in situations that make you uncomfortable. You need to be able to think, interact and react to all events, paranormal or not, rationally.
Another factor to recognize when you first start out is your level of patience. Did you find yourself getting intensely bored? Ghosts don't jump out at you crying, "Here I am!" as soon as you walk into a location. Some investigations go on for hours and hours before something ever happens. Many investigations never turn up anything at all. If you don't have lots and lots of patience, then paranormal investigation probably won't be your cup of tea.
Next step — join a group. There are paranormal groups in most areas. Ask to go along on an investigation so you can get a feel for how that particular group works. You may have to test out several groups before you find one that fits.
Make it a habit to read. There are many books that discuss first-account paranormal experiences, investigative techniques and theories of the field. While no one set of beliefs or techniques is "true", there are many commonly held theories and beliefs that you'll want to familiarize yourself with. Steer clear of stuff that you can't take seriously. Paranormal topics are easy to sensationalize. If you want to be an investigator, read material that takes the subject seriously.
Ask questions of other investigators. Listen to other investigators and people that research paranormal topics. There are several good radio shows where different people involved in the field are interviewed weekly. Stay up-to-date on the latest research, theories and events. You can also do this by attending conferences.
There will probably never be a moment where you say to yourself, "Now I'm a real paranormal expert." People that have been investigating for decades still have more questions than answers. It's the current nature of the field.
