Ghost Hunting, Amateur-Style

From Emma Rae's Halloween Site:  Ghost Hunting, Amateur-Style

It seems that ghost hunter shows are everywhere these days.  Flip on a channel and you can find a variety of styles, methods and hunters that all focus on the pursuit of the paranormal.  But what if you don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on thermal imaging cameras, EVP software (for those not in the know, Electronic Voice Phenomena), video cameras and expensive equipment all to use for catching that all-important evidence.  Don’t worry, even if you have a limited budget and zero experience, you can still catch a ghost.

Tape Recorders
These handy little devices are for more than taping college lectures and nowadays they are far more reliable and easier to use (you don’t have to worry about popping in those pesky little cassettes, it’s all digital now).
On average they can start about $20 and run all the way up into the hundreds range.  Be prepared to hear static, they still carry a bit of that echo-y fuzz, but if your ears are perked, you may capture that elusive groan or whisper.

Dowsing Rods
Yes, they sound hopelessly old-fashioned, quirky at best, maybe a little too ‘black magic’ at worse.  But do they work?  According to some, absolutely!  You can find these items at your local alternative/new age gift store or online (Amazon carries them at a mere cost of $14.99.).
What is the secret mechanism that enables them to contacts spirits?  The short answer is, nobody really knows.  But its authenticity dates back to biblical times.  It is said that Aaron used a rod to locate water in the desert.  Try it out and watch the tips of the rods, if there is a spirit lurking about, you should see it moving.

Scrying
This is another method that is sometimes chalked up to the interpretations of overly-imaginative minds (similar to the movement of the Ouija planchette).  Scrying is also one of ancient origins, it involves using a bowl of water (sometimes a mirror or the ever iconic ‘crystal ball’) and watching as images begin to appear.  Think of those gypsy camps, with hoards of kids in costume, and those elaborate, dramatic ghost conjuring rituals. Of course, what forms is generally ‘seen’ only by the person holding the object and is most often, unfortunately, a harbinger of doom.  Be careful what you wish for.

Lights, camera, action!
You know what they say, seeing is believing.  When in doubt, bring your trusty camera along on any ghost hunt.  Nowadays, this type of evidence can be easily captured using simple digital cameras or just your phone camera.  There is no reason a spirit couldn’t be seen creeping around a corner of a room and just so happen upon your phone screen, think of what a great screen-saver this would make!

Downloadables
Yep, that’s right, you can download an app from i-tunes and also on some kindle devices and begin ghost hunting immediately.  Again, the cost is very little, ranging from ‘free’ to $1.99 and most likely should be used with a grain of salt.  Upon reading the reviews, customers stated that the Voice Recorder often repeated the same words, over and over, and interestingly enough, the same tone of voice.  Oh well, you get what you  pay for.
Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.