When Haunted Isn't Haunted: Guest Blogger Nathan Explores the Importance of Skepticism in Ghost Hunting and Travel

Statistics just can’t be wrong - little over 1% of haunted places is really haunted. So I’m reading all these ghost stories and articles about haunted places and I wonder - is it really a legitimate haunting, or just yet another urban legend. As paranormal investigator, even if I’m young, I got my experience, and I’ve learned to be very sceptical about any haunting.

People often hear story about haunted house in their neighborhood and they plan to visit it - their very first step in ghost hunting. So they go in, take some photos, experience a lot of stuff, go out and they tell the world that this place is so haunted! But my experiences tells me that it’s not :). Mist on photos is not a ghost, it’s just a mist. The noises were caused by rats and homeless cat. Movement of objects was just mind trick your brain cause due to sensor deprivation.

Most people who start investigating the paranormal don’t consider natural and logical causes of events. Everything seems to be a legitimate paranormal activity. While beginners see ghosts everywhere, experienced investigator see broken pipes, problems with electricity, old wood making noises, rats and other vermin, cats and animals, or simple psychological elements - hallucinations (did you know that some types of wall paint might cause hallucination that looks like ghosts?).

Finding a legitimate haunted place is difficult. Most of such places are only subjects to rumours, gossips and urban legends, nothing more. Some rumours are being spread by homeless, or by owners who want to become centre of attention. A lot of rumours is being spread by inexperienced ghost hunters. And what’s more - other ghost-hunter-wannabe don’t even try to confirm or deny the rumours - they just believe in them, repeating what others have said or what’s worse - wrote in their books.

But the job of real investigator is to investigate - and to find the truth. If you say “this place is haunted” only because someone told you it is, or someone wrote it, then I got a problem with calling you investigator. Belief is not investigation.
I strongly encourage every beginner to investigate for real. Don’t rely on articles you read on blogs, read respected magazines and scientific journals, and books of respected paranormal investigators. Finally, when you hear the story of haunted place - investigate with open, yet skeptical mind - always look for logical and natural causes first, search for ghosts later.
 
Nathan is psychic and paranormal investigator. Be sure to check out his e-book teaching "How to Develop Psychic Abilities".  You can find out more about Nathan and his book at http://astateofmind.eu/how-to-develop-psychic-abilities/