Ghostbusters:
A Dying Profession?
Ghostbusters were people who found entities in an environment. Often, but not always, they then removed them. The name was made famous by the 1984 film of that name, particularly due to the very catchy title song. However, before that the term ‘ghostbuster’ was generally used for anyone who was able to get rid of things (usually ghosts) which were disrupting an environment. Ghostbusting, then, was never really a serious term for a profession, more a simple way of describing what the public thought was involved. The origins For a very long time indeed in recorded history, people have been fascinated by ghosts. The spirits of the departed have always been a source of entertainment and mystery.As a result, more attention was given to these phenomena than anything else. Stories of hauntings have been told for centuries! Yet not all ghosts in real life have been quite so enjoyable! That is why people came to call upon ghostbusters. What do you do to ‘bust’ a ghost?Nowadays there are a variety of ways in which such people work. Because of the different approach, ghostbusters tend to be more ghost hunters. Most of them concentrate on identifying whether ghosts are present or not. Consequently, they tend to use a variety of gadgets.EVP Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) is where a ghost hunter uses sensitive recording equipment to capture communications from ghosts or spirits. Often these might only be a word or phrase. However, skeptics say that such recordings could be accidental and the ‘voices’ are not real at all. Needles to say, this does not deter those who are doing the recording! Emf measurement Electromagnetic fields (emfs) are also monitored by ghostbusters (or ghost hunters). They say that changes or fluctuations in emfs are indicative of ghost or spirit activity. Temperature sensors Again, changes in temperature, particularly sudden cold spots, are said to be indicative of ghost or spirit activity. A wide range of thermal sensing devices can be used. Photo / Video Obviously, a good clear photo or video of a ghost would be very persuasive. However, any such photos are always going to be challenged, especially with the rise of digital editing software. Nevertheless, there are those who say they have photographed a ghost or spirit. Other equipment Geiger counters, infrared or ultrasonic motion detectors and infrasound detectors (sound below 20Hz (or less than 20 cycles per second)) make up the mass of the other types of instrumentation. The main aim of those involved in such activity is to locate ghosts, but very little is done to actually deal with them. Often the intention of groups of ghosthunters is to reassure those who feel themselves to be haunted that they have a sympathetic ear and that there is proof of their fear, that they are not going mad. What are the problems, then? The problems of such an approach are easily summarized.1) Ghostbusters tend to have little experience or knowledge about ghosts and ways in which they can be dealt with. Sometimes their only method is to ask them to go. 2) Because of their concentration on ghosts (or spirits), they might actually be tapping into other beings which are less likely to be passive or less easily dealt with. However, as they have only the one term for what they discover, everything inevitably becomes a ghost, even if it is most definitely NOT a ghost! 3) Ghostbusters might also leave themselves open to injury in some form if they do think that everything is a ghost and can be treated simplistically. Not everything you can’t see is benevolent! If I think I have a ghost, what should I do?Well, ghosthunters can use their variety of instruments on your property and tell you what they think. But that is only partly satisfactory. What you should do is make contact with those who can deal with the problem professionally, like us. We've been doing this sort of work for years now. Not only will we discuss your perceptions, and what has happened to you, we will be able to give you useful advice as well as be able to deal with the issues involved. If you want to be kept up to date with what’s going on in the invisible world around you, why not sign up for the monthly newsletter?
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