According to TAPS, America’s favorite de-bunking team, only about 20% of reported hauntings can be proved, scientifically. So, before you assume that the strange voices and eerie lights you have been experiencing are paranormal, read through and learn how to assign blame where blame is due. You may find that simple investigative techniques are all that are needed to bring the truth to light.
Phantom Voices - With a partner, walk through the home, every room, attic and basement, looking for vents or registers that may lead to other rooms. Have your partner walk through the other rooms of the house and talk or make noise until you find from where the voices emanate. Pay attention to windows and ceilings that lead to the outdoors, where voices may travel across the yard from a neighbor’s home into your living room. Check to make sure all radios and televisions are off. Are there pets in the home? Determine whether your pets, especially cats, who prefer late night play, might be the culprits. A cat’s meow or growl can easily be mistaken for a moaning voice.
Strange Lights - More than likely, apparent phantom lights are often noticed at night. Check your curtains and blinds. Are they completely closed or can light peek through above, below or between the panels? Unless your curtains or drapes are duct-taped to the walls all around, light will get in. Car headlights that shine through openings in curtains and drapes are the most common reason for seeing “floating lights” on ceilings and walls. Headlights reflecting off knick-knacks close to a window or on an end table can reflect strange lights, as well. A neighbor’s porch light shining through trees into a bedroom will produce what appear to be moving shadows.
Movement Seen in Peripheral Vision
- TV: The light emitted from television sets is not limited to the space immediately near the TV. This light is cast throughout the entire room and through any doorway or hallway leading in or out of the room with the television, including under the doors. The changing light fragmenting from the television onto walls and doors can give the effect of “seeing something from the corner of the eye.” When this happens, pay attention to the light from your TV. Is it refracting, causing you to “see things”?
- Eyelashes: More often than not, something as subtle as an eyelash can make you think that your peripheral vision has caught something moving.
- Pets: Pets moving about the home can be caught out of the corner of the eye, sometimes casting shadows on walls.
- Real People: Are there other people at home? Do yourself a favor and get up to see if that “ghost” you saw was someone at home simply passing through a hallway or going into a another room of the house.
- Matrixing: The brain is pre-programmed to recognize faces; faces in clouds, in orbs, etc. Don't take every "face" you see at face value.
Once you have ruled out all of the obvious (and not so obvious) reasons why you might think your home might seem haunted, including setting up a tape recorder in the room in question to record EVPs, and you are unable to find a logical explanation for the voices and lights, consider consulting with your local Paranormal Investigating Team. If your tape recorder was able to capture those phantom noises and voices, be sure to keep a copy to give to your investigators for evaluation. Reputable teams do not charge a fee and will be eager to help.
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