Paranormal Underground - Topic: In the end, are we doing any good?

sympathyforthedevil on In the end, are we doing any good?

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:57:50 -0700

You know Ryan - this question actually haunts me. No pun intended. Well maybe a little one. But I digress.

I guess the answer to the question lies in intention and follow-up. I wonder about how to help the spirits and I try to do the best I can, but I'm no chick from that TV show starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. If I knew how, I would do anything I could to help the spirits at least understand that they have the capability to move on - ultimately the choice remains theirs, and being a "ghost" may be part of a unique spirit's path. Maybe being recognized, heard, acknowledged and met with understanding is enough?

Yeah - I know - basically incoherent. The caffeine hasn't fully kicked in yet.

I'm having the same questions, about a spirit's path. A tv show got me on this thinking process.

There here, what do they need to move on? Can the spirit only get the help from a human?

And if so what about the spirits who don't? Or what if the spirit doesn't have abilities, to be seen, heard or acknowledged?

Maybe there are different levels of being a spirit. A spirit goes down the path, and has to experience things they didn't finish in life, and are looking for answers now.

I have been thinking a lot of late, what do spirits want, or need.

How do investiagtors approach them? What seems to work best for you. The soft approach, with manners and respect?

Or the demanding show yourself? This approach may turn me off, if I was a spirit and needed help. Maybe, I would not even try to communicate?

ourobouros2k2 on In the end, are we doing any good?

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:01:42 -0700

As far as research as a whole, all we can successfully do is identify and eliminate natural factors. I might not be able to tell you what is happening, but hopefully I can give you some indication of what is not happening. Your comments about follow up with the client are interesting, because it does address the ultimate end result of the consultation. I have always been of the philosophy that my presence at a haunting is merely to document environmental changes or prove the occurences are indeed an outward manifestation and not a figment of the owner's imagination. If successful, I present the findings with the caveat of "I don't do cleansings, etc...". Sometimes you get "the look". The look that you have taken me this far, confirmed that paranormal events are taking place, and now just up and leave? It is always best to have a person on referral that can handle such things, and perhaps give them a business card with the standard disclaimers. Wading through the sea of such personalities to find a person you trust enough to refer clients to...well I would rather go shopping for a new car or listen to a time-share spill in vegas.

I do think that providing confirmation of events is a good service to provide, so long as the client does not have any misconceptions that Tangina Barrens isn't going to be showing up to do a cleansing. Confirmation though can provide that validation a client is seeking so as not to think they are having any kind of breakdown. I think this is good and honorable.

Andy

NoWhammies on In the end, are we doing any good?

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:43:56 -0700

You know Ryan - this question actually haunts me. No pun intended. Well maybe a little one. But I digress.

I guess the answer to the question lies in intention and follow-up. I wonder about how to help the spirits and I try to do the best I can, but I'm no chick from that TV show starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. If I knew how, I would do anything I could to help the spirits at least understand that they have the capability to move on - ultimately the choice remains theirs, and being a "ghost" may be part of a unique spirit's path. Maybe being recognized, heard, acknowledged and met with understanding is enough?

Yeah - I know - basically incoherent. The caffeine hasn't fully kicked in yet.

sammaine on In the end, are we doing any good?

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:35:11 -0700

I know how you feel. Sometimes you don't get any activity, or you wonder if what you're doing means anything. But then you find that audio clip, or you find that your client is just happy that someone is willing to help them try and figure out what's going on. There's always something that makes it all worht while, so just hang in there. /smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

As for helping the spirit, maybe we can help them maybe we can't. All we can do is try. And I think pointing the client in the right direction is help enough. Let the people specially trained or w/e handle the rest. That's what they are there for. Sometimes a spirit doesn't want to move on, also, and sometimes I think they aren't meant to move on just yet.

RyanNREMTP on In the end, are we doing any good?

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:19:40 -0700

I just felt like starting a debate thread. But as I finish up a case and evidence has been reviewed but I haven't followed up with the client, I sit here wondering if I did any good yet. This last case was pretty relaxing and all. It was a second investigation at my sister's house and it was meant as a get together for the team. We hadn't done anything all summer, mainly since several members were in school or it's just plain too hot to do anything.

But to make a short story long, if we proved that ghosts exist especially to the client, then what? My group does not assist in helping them move on, if it's even possible. We'll tell the client techniques but that's it. Mostly because I feel it's up to the resident's religious beliefs to help the spirit out. But then are we helping the spirit at all? Is it better for the spirit to move on to what's next (heaven or hell or something else) or to stay here?

Maybe after I go and present the evidence I will feel better.