The Commitment
The mediums and sensitives on the case must make a commitment to communicate seamlessly with other members of the team. They must understand that they are not the focus of the team. Their goal must be helping others, so the main thrust of the investigation should always be uncovering the facts and maintaining a high standard of professional behavior. The psychics should be experienced, seasoned investigators in their own right. They should not be prone to melodrama or attention-getting behaviors but should report what they are experiencing as simply and truthfully as possible. They must be adaptable so that no matter what situation arises, they can remain poised and ready to take the appropriate action.
Just One of the Guys
Ideally, mediums and sensitives should be trained in normal investigative skills and be able to function as a regular team member, trained to use the equipment and follow proper protocols. It should be obvious to everyone that all jobs on an investigation are of equal importance. Cases are turned on their heads when the investigation revolves entirely around the medium and little verifiable data is gathered. If there is too much emphasis on one area of the investigation, the other aspects suffer as a result.
Career Advancement
Psychic and investigator Maggie Florio has been with the Rhode Island Paranormal Research Group (T.R.I.P.R.G.) for about five years. For the last three, she has worked as a sensitive for the group. Her role grew out of the notes she kept during the course of her early work with the group. When the investigative panel reviewed her notes, they noticed that most of her speculations, observations, and assumptions were quite accurate. In fact, it was estimated that about 75 percent of her observations on the case hit the mark. Her first experiences with receiving impressions and information came to her aurally, when she would hear phrases or just snippets of voices.
Further Growth
Eventually, Florio's talents evolved further, to the point where she was seeing and hearing what was transpiring as if in a movie. This is not surprising, as Florio had seen apparitions as a child and there is little doubt that her latent psychic abilities were further enhanced by the situations she encountered as a ghost hunter.
It is apparent when speaking with her that Florio is extremely empathic and sends out very comforting, caring vibes. This is not always a good thing. In the course of her investigations, the entities must have noticed that, too. Some have become very attached to her — literally.
It is interesting that churches and Christian institutions such as Salve Regina University still use the terrifying symbol of a gargoyle in their architecture.
Copyright Melissa Martin Ellis, 2007.
Just Leave!
In the past, despite Florio's cleansing ritual after a case, an entity has followed her home and caused minor disruptions. At no time did she feel threatened, but she did not want to have to deal with the spirit on a daily basis. In vain, she tried asking it to leave and even smudged her home. It was only after she figured out where it had come from and politely and firmly asked it to go back that was she able to get rid of it.
Famed turn-of-the-century journalist Ambrose Bierce wrote of a haunted plantation known as the “Spook House” in Kentucky, so named because the owner, his wife, and their five children disappeared one night, leaving no clues as to their fate. A local judge and army officer went to investigate and shared a vision of dead children behind a wall. They fled; the army officer fell into a delirium and the judge vanished.
