Our Place In The World

The history of paranormal research has been a very winding trail. There have been some brilliant researchers such as William James who pioneered the field allowing us to continue decades later with newer technology than he ever would have dreamed.

Indeed, many of these instruments were not intended for use by parapsychologists or paranormal investigators; however, along the way it was, of course, discovered that they could serve a dual purpose. Now many investigators are devising their own equipment to meet all of our more precise needs, as well, thankfully.

How does this all jive; however, when many psychologists think that we are all insane to begin with, creating a self-fulfilling prophesy when we go to a location to investigate it? They even think we are either imagining our EVP's, that they are extraneous noise that we are all matrixing, and even perhaps created on the sly (fabricated)!

It is a very tricky problem for us. Do we just ignore them in total, doing "our own thing", or do we at least try to keep it as scientific as possible knowing that they will still think there is a more "logical" explanation for it all?

Where ever we go to investigate, we try our very best not to have any preconceived ideas as to whether the location is haunted -- or not. We go in fresh not really expecting to find anything, but if we do, of course, we feel gratified that we are definitely on to something!

One reason that we go in in teams of two only is because of all the resistance we receive from the scientific community who insist that if more than two go in together at a time, it more or less becomes a party instead of a investigative team, and that the people will feed off each other as to every creak, pop, and other noise that they hear! I believe that our group is mostly comprised of very logical, mature people; however, to maintain our integrity in the community, we do always have watch out for these sorts of opinions and detractors.

I can tell you that personally I have discovered so much more than I ever envisioned since I began with ASUP. Some of the phenomena I have personally experienced along with my team members will remain with me for the rest of my life. This makes me understandably somewhat exasperated with both the scientific as well as the religious communities. The scientific community says that it does not exist at all. The religious community feels that it does indeed exist, but we as human beings are not supposed to delve into it AT ALL. They find it frightening, demonic, and dangerous.

The truth is a lot more gray. Something does indeed exist "out there" because we do have just too much proof of it to discount all of it. The vast majority of paranormal phenomena is not dangerous at all. In fact a mugger on the street is much more dangerous than any ghostly activity, and yet no one says we should no go out and about doing what we need and wish to do outside in the world!

Perhaps some day, there will truly be some sort of new device or equipment that can measure everything, differentiating between all other possible explanations. Until that time though, those of us who truly love this work, will continue to hold the line, offering our evidence and improving techniques and equipment, until that day comes!