To become a paranormal investigator or ghost hunter, you must have some great qualities: objectivity, patience, courage, strength of character, and total honesty. However, both believers and nonbelievers must also have the ability to suspend their judgment long enough to gauge all of the facts objectively. Be sure you're emotionally ready to obtain tangible knowledge about the other side should you find evidence to support it. The reverse is also true.

Today's ghost hunters know all the technological tricks of the trade, including how to stay safe and what to do. Just as important, they know what not to do to ensure a professional investigation. Investigation of paranormal phenomena should be approached seriously, with respect and an abundance of caution. This is not a parlor game or a fun party activity. If you have an open mind and really want to explore the supernatural objectively, you'll find the tools you need to do so here.

The New School

The paranormal investigators of the twenty-first century are a few steps ahead of those who pursued answers in the past. In the upcoming chapters, you'll learn a little about ghost hunting through history and how the universal belief in spirits exists in numerous cultures.

Ghost Hunting Fever

The differences between types of hauntings — ghosts, apparitions, and poltergeists — will be explained. Various ways of protecting yourself during your investigations will also be discussed.

Over the last decade, ghost hunting fever has gripped the imagination of the world. With the rise of digital technology, there has been an incredible worldwide upsurge of interest in the topic.

Many organized groups attempt to pierce the barriers and contact the other side, but unlike their forebears, they do not use mediums or spiritualists as intermediaries. Today's ghost hunters have scientific tools in their arsenal, such as electromagnetic field (EMF) meters, infrared cameras, digital thermometers, tape recorders, and motion detectors.