Living in a Haunted House

copyright Flickr Creative Commons-by Sean McEntee

So you think your house is haunted? The first thing to do is not to panic. We receive a lot of contacts from people upset or frightened because they feel that their house is haunted, and want whatever is there gone.

It is normal to be scared about things that we don’t understand, and can’t see, especially when there is no prior experience with the paranormal. We try and inform everyone that we encounter, especially those struggling with the paranormal in their own home, that they have nothing to be scared of when encountering spirits. However, in the middle of the night, when they are hearing thumping noises, it is hard to accept that fact.

Which brings us back to the first point- do not panic. When you start to panic, you stop thinking clearly, and are unable to analyze the situation thoroughly.

A common result of paranormal investigations is that natural causes are in effect. There is usually some environmental factor in effect. This can be as simple as a loose shutter causing a banging noise, or malfunctioning wiring or a furnace. Before panicking about having a haunted house, take a look around the house and check to make sure if everything is operating properly.

When we are contacted by a client upset by the paranormal in their home and unable to get into the house immediately, we suggest a number of techniques to help manage the situation in the home until we can get there. These are temporary solutions, and are not designed to be permanent. They are simple to implement, and are designed to provide temporary relief.

The first thing that we suggest is the usage of a humidifier in the house. The higher the humidity in the house, the harder it is for paranormal activity to occur. This is easy for the homeowner to accomplish, and has a quick effect.

Second, we suggest burning incense. We conduct cleansings when requested by homeowners, but it is beneficial to leave a stick or two of incense burning in the home. This helps clean out some of the negative energy in the home prior to our arrival.

After we have conducted the investigation, there are a couple options that we try. The Shadow Chasers emphasize the importance of communication with spirits, and will try to communicate with the spirits the level of discomfort the homeowners are having, and try and work out a solution to the problem that way. We also talk with the homeowners about what we have discovered about the spirits in their home. We have found that having knowledge about the spirits in their home is helpful in encouraging homeowners to accept that their house is haunted, and coexist in peace with their spirits.

If this method does not work, we make every effort to remediate the situation, utilizing the strategies mentioned at the beginning of the article, as well as conducting a cleansing of the house to remove negative energy.

The important thing to keep in mind when you feel that you have a haunted house is to remember that the spirits are deceased people, and are not trying to act scary or aggressive. They have found themselves in an unfamiliar situation. They are a stranger in their own home, invisible and unheard, adjusting to the lack of a physical form. Spirits are rarely mean and aggressive. They are just unsure of how to interact with their environment, and may utilize more force than is necessary. So, don’t panic.