The paranormal doesn’t exist. It hasn’t been proven, so there isn’t any danger right?
Yes… and no.
Although the paranormal in its entirety hasn’t been proven, there are people like ourselves who are interested in it and further more actively research and investigate it.
There is so much information about the dangers of the paranormal almost anywhere you look, yet they tend to focus on what is perceived as the spiritual danger. Informing people to spiritually protect themselves against discarnate entities – particularly demonic or negative ones.
This brings me to my first point. Although we investigate possible claims of the paranormal, the paranormal hasn’t been proven and the dangers of the paranormal, in my mind, don’t start with spiritual protection.
So, where would they start?
Investigating in the dark
The word danger elicits the thoughts of taking risks. And the biggest risk is investigating in the dark. So many hazards in and around a location is more worrying than being taken over or possessed by an entity. Site walks (visiting a location) during the day and noting hazards round the area is a start but also ensure sufficient lighting while moving around between vigil’s/sessions in the nighttime. Or, if the activity reported happens in daylight hours, ultimately investigate during the day. Public Liability Insurance is highly recommended for all investigators to provide that extra peace of mind no matter what location you are in.
Fraudulent Behaviour
Another danger is hoaxing and fraudulent behaviour. It’s a sad fact but it can happen. The paranormal can be very centred at times about personal experiences and interpretation, so in essence, it has the potential to be anyone’s game. Particularly if you are unfamiliar with how easy you can be to be fooled.
People who act fraudulently can give fuel to the fire that ALL investigators have ulterior motives in mind. Which isn’t the case at all.
Not finding a P.A.E.
Not finding a Possible Alternative Explanation to possible paranormal phenomena is also dangerous. Why? If you think you’ve captured something audibly or visually and present it for all the world to see, don’t be surprised if it’s reviewed somewhat harshly by other investigators. They will naturally be questioning the conditions the footage was taken right down to angles it was shot in and want confirmation of the people in the area at the time. If you find in that time that it wasn’t paranormal, you’ve had to go through this whole process in a very public way. Learning is vital, but not like this.
Fear
Fear is another danger of the paranormal but not what you think. Some information on the internet states that investigating can be harmful and destroy your life. One site claims you will eventually end up in hospital, experience divorce and that your life can fall to pieces at any moment.
Popular perceived dangers are people who investigate the paranormal for decades or spends long periods of time in supposed haunted locations. This apparently can cause poor living conditions (broke) and create emotionally unstable lives. Or, in my opinion, cause people to blame something unseen and unknown instead of taking responsibility for their own actions, habits and life choices or not seeking the appropriate medical professional help.
Fear is a two edge sword too. If you hold fear about being spiritually attacked or bringing a spiritual attachment home with you, then regardless if it happens or not, your bias and belief in it will taint any experience you have as confirmation that you have brought a spirit home with you. Some of the advice on the internet about the spiritual dangers can actually be compounding the issue further.
Providing the wrong advice to clients
Well, let me re-frame that. Providing potentially damaging advice to a client in a private/residential case. What is considered dangerous? Investigators confirming with a client that they have something paranormal in their home even before a one of the first steps of a thorough interview has started. This often is more about the intentions or lack of experience from the investigator. If the intention is to investigate a haunted location and not genuinely help a person or family, then this dangerous. Private/Residential/Domestic cases aren’t alternatives to finding locations to investigate with reportedly haunted phenomena.
If the reason for this claim is due to and inexperienced investigator, then this too is equally as dangerous. Cases like this shouldn’t be explored without learning from other investigators or reliable sources first.
With all this you may wonder why anyone would want to investigate the paranormal at all. I’ve had my own experiences through the years and some I still can’t explain. Yes, I’m open minded to the possibility of it being paranormal but it’s not the first coloured dot I jump to in a game of Twister.
The field is and can be dangerous. But the dangers are more with the living, behaving ethically and staying safe then any possible danger of the dead.
