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HOW TO > How to protect yourself and alleviate fears
Anyone experiencing repeated phenomena that intrude on their idea of normality is generally upset, frustrated and often frightened. Paranormal phenomena often cause stress especially in family dynamics. It is can be extremely difficult to deal with something one cannot classify, identify, or know the intent of. It is particularly unnerving not to be able to see the agent of the phenomena. However, it should be noted, that it is quite rare for paranormal phenomena to result in any type of injury, or to cause a direct threat to those experiencing it.
There are a number of things that can be done to alleviate fears, and to be more comfortable with the situation. We offer suggestions that have proven successful in some cases. The best defense against fear of unusual or paranormal activity is education. Our site will maintain a number of methods that may be of some assistance.
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How to cope with a haunting or paranormal activity
Paranormal phenomena and activity associated with a haunting, while disturbing or frightening, is rarely dangerous. This type of activity has been reported throughout recorded history and reactions to it have varied from mild amusement or intellectual curiosity to varying degrees of anxiety or fear. There is little doubt that most people encountering activity associated with a haunting have some difficulty dealing with an unseen force that might also have unknown motives. However, not every type of ghostly manifestation actually has a conscious intent or even a level of awareness. While we believe that ghosts fit into different categories, our definition of a haunting as "a lingering or continuing period of paranormal activity associated with a specific location, a specific individual or both." allows us to take into consideration other types of paranormal phenomena that might exist. We will provide more information on the types of ghosts and paranormal phenomena in another section. It's a sound rationale to understand that the term paranormal simply means "around" the normal or outside the normal, and that definition implies something that is not commonly encountered or not amenable to being understood by the normal or available methods we possess today.
The first step in coping with paranormal phenomena is to attempt to understand it. Of course, every possible normal explanation should be ruled out before considering a paranormal cause for unusual events. Check for drafts, uneven door hinges, breezes, etc. anything that could provide a reasonable explanation for what at first appears to be unexplained. See our "Haunting Evaluation Form" for help in determining if what you are experiencing relates to what has most often been reported to occur or take place with a haunting.
If, after examining the possible natural causes for the unexplained activity, it appears that there is no adequate natural explanation, there are a variety of methods to deal with paranormal phenomena. There is almost unanimous agreement in the field of paranormal research that there is no effective way to rid a location of certain types of paranormal phenomena.
Here are suggestions how to protect yourself:
1. Take an active role in learning about hauntings and paranormal phenomena. Constantly waiting and reacting to unexplained events creates stress and fear.
2. Realize that, even if experiencing such activity is unsettling, it is extremely rare that anyone has been harmed by events associated with paranormal phenomena.
3. If you believe you are dealing with a ghost, speak to it. Ask it what it wants or tell it what you want. This might seem like an odd way to deal with the situation but if you get a response it helps to determine if you are dealing with a conscious entity.
4. Maintain a diary. Try to write down and document any evidence that relates to a possible paranormal cause for the activity. Keep track of the times, weather conditions, circumstances when something takes place. Note who is in the immediate area. How many people are present? Does this occur only when certain people are present? Have there been multiple witnesses or have only one or two people had an experience without a second witness? This will provide a great deal of help if you decide to request an investigation.
5. Do research. Discover all you can about the location, its history. Neighbors, libraries, county records, newspapers, even history books can all help provide some history of the dwelling, land or location that might provide some clues as to why it would act as a catalyst for paranormal activity.
6. What is the history of the individuals who are experiencing the phenomena? Has anyone encountered paranormal phenomena before? What are the ages of the witnesses? Does the phenomena seem to center around one or more individuals?
7. Have the location blessed by a minister or other religious figure. You can perform a small house blessing yourself just by stating your intention to bless the area, walking into each room and invoking any spiritual force you feel most attuned to into the area.
8. Prayer for those who are concerned or worried about the phenomena often helps. Prayers can also be offered for any entity you feel might be trapped and suffering from sadness, sorry, or unable to move on.
9. Books available on psychic self-defense offer a variety of methods to cope with paranormal phenomena. Check our book list for suggestions.
10. Exorcism, contrary to popular belief, the rites of exorcism were developed to expel negative entities from a human being and not necessarily a dwelling or specific location. This misunderstanding has been the result of movies, television, novels and other media confusing a house blessing with a specific rite of the Roman Catholic Church.
11. Request that a group of paranormal researchers investigate the area. This can be done to obtain further information and options for dealing with the phenomena. It is important to note that each of these steps places a person or group of individuals in control of the situation allowing them to take an active role in dealing with something not easily understood. This will help reduce anxiety, provide education, and possibly offer some viable solutions for those involved.
12. Following up on step (3), you can take a tape recorder to an area that has been the site of unexplained phenomena and with it recording ask a question. Leave the recorder in that location, while recording, for about 30 minutes and play the tape and listen for any unusual sounds or voices that might come in answer to your question. Be sure to note any other sound sources, especially background noise that the tape could pick up so they are not determined to be of paranormal origin.
13. Ouija Boards, I recommend against their use for a variety of reasons. While they are a tool that might be used by those familiar with the boards limitations, there is no way to confirm the source of any information obtained by using the boards. Also, even though they are sold as toys or devices for entertainment, there is much in the literature of paranormal research to advise against the Ouija boardıs use as a toy.
14. Amateur ghost hunting is a method that can be employed by those who want to investigate further for paranormal energy. Compasses, dowsing rods, and pendulums are all reported to have reactions to paranormal energy. A compass may spin erratically when it encounters a field of energy that has a paranormal origin, dowsing rods may react to these conditions, as may pendulums. Dowsing rods and pendulums can either be purchased at a very reasonable price or manufactured by using readily available items in the household.
15. The Internet has a large number of sites that contain information about the paranormal, ghosts, hauntings, and related activity. It is an excellent research tool. There are even a number of communities and chat rooms where you can share your experiences, get advice and opinions from those who have experienced similar phenomena as well as skeptics. As with any source you use for education, try to be discriminating in your choice of obtaining so-called expert advice in this area.
We hope that this list has given some suggestions that prove helpful. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We intend to add to this list. If you have methods that have helped you to deal with paranormal phenomena, please send them to us and we will add them to the page.
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