So you want to go ghost hunting?
here's what you need to get started
“Stop whispering! The ghosts are speaking!”
- me, on every ghost hunt ever, trying to record EVP’s
Fear of the dark is just as valid, just as rational, as a fear of heights or a fear of spiders. They say people who are afraid of the dark likely have reason to be. We used to see things when we were little, things we weren’t supposed to. Or maybe we still do.
I have nightlights all over my apartment, and I still can’t walk around at night without trepidation. Every shadow, every thump, every creak sends me running to the light switch or burrowing under the covers. Paranormal investigation takes that terror and transforms it into intrigue. An opportunity to approach our fears with curiosity rather than fright.
If you’re thinking about exploring the paranormal and visiting some haunts this season, here are some tools to get started.
Setting Intentions
It’s always a good idea to set your intentions for conversing with spirits. Do you want to meet the ghosts in the building? Or catch up with a deceased ancestor? It’s good to be clear, either way, unless you’re ok with any random entity coming through (and it’s ok if you are).
This is also a good time to set boundaries around the session, such as if you only want positive interactions. Or if you’d rather not be touched physically. It doesn’t always mean the ghosts will listen. But if you set those boundaries and state them out loud, whenever they cross them, you now have a good indicator of their intentions and can react accordingly.
*Note: Please never provoke or be disrespectful. Read my latest post for more details.
Protection
I’m going to say something controversial - I have mixed feelings about protection. When it comes to ghost hunting! (Sheesh! Get your mind out of the gutter.)
Most of what we’re doing here is trying to make a connection. It doesn’t help that objective if we shield ourselves up with protective crystals and cleansing sprays.
Your intentions, words, and thoughts have power. Use them. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, shut the communication down, say goodbye, and leave. If you’re concerned about spirits attaching to you or following you home, please know that this is pretty rare, but it doesn’t hurt to say out loud “You may not attach to me or follow me home.” It really does work!
If you are very concerned about this, carrying black crystals should help. Try wearing black tourmaline or obsidian, whatever makes you feel grounded. When you leave, feel free to smoke cleanse yourself with Copal, Frankincense, or Palo Santo to ward off negative energy.
Ghost Hunting Equipment
No, I don’t have all of this equipment. I started out with mostly used or Etsy knock-offs and have been upgrading ever since.
You do not need to purchase equipment to have fun ghost hunting! Whip out a candle, your camera, and your intuition, and you’re well on your way.
*Note: Some spirits are drawn to different types of equipment more than others. Or they may need a quick tutorial. Just like your aunt prefers calling you over texting, some prefer flashlights over Spirit Boxes. Don’t take it personally, just try it and if it doesn’t work, move on. Try again later in another location.
Candles ($5+)
During my first intentional encounter, all I had was a simple candle. This is still a great method, known as pyromancy, as flames attract spirits and candles are a tool with which we are all universally familiar.
Make sure your fans are off and windows are closed. Light a candle and ask if any spirits are present, or call someone specific forward. Agree upon yes and no responses. Usually a dancing or flickering flame indicates yes and a steady flame indicates no. If the flame is flickering constantly or out of sync with your questions, then you likely have a breeze or some kind of interference.
*Note: Steer clear of “crackling” wood wick candles, especially with ornery trickster spirits. You (and your hair) will thank me later.
Voice Recorder ($20+)
A simple voice recorder is necessary for capturing electronic voice phenomenon (EVPs). Some investigators are purists when it comes to the types of recorders they choose. Digital versus analog, voice activated, etc. I recommend recording the entire session if everyone consents, so you have an audio record of everything that happened, and you don’t have to keep taking notes or video on your phone. You can just relax and be present.
Fun fact: The Panasonic RR-DR60 was the first recorder designed and marketed for ITC (Instrumental Trans-Communication) research. It is no longer manufactured and regularly sells for $2500 on eBay - now that’s a frightening concept!
Flashlights ($20-$25)
Little pocket flashlights are perfect for talking to ghosts. Go for a MagLite with the top that screws on and off. The idea is to barely screw it off, so it’s a light breeze away from flickering back and forth. On means yes, off means no. Use it to ask questions and see if you get responses. It happens more than you think!
Place it on a stable surface, and make sure nobody is leaning on the surface and influencing the results. Intelligent responses are when the flashlight responds to your questions - if it’s just randomly turning off and on, it’s probably more residual energy or influenced by other environmental factors. A good way to confirm is asking the spirit to turn the light on or off on the count of three. Validate you are getting intelligent responses, then move on to more exciting questions.
You can use multiple flashlights or pair them with other equipment. They are often used with children.
EMF / Temperature Meters
KII EMF Meter ($10-$20) - These are very affordable and easy to use. The LED lights respond to EMF (electromagnetic frequency) changes and work well with yes/no questions, as well as determining any hot spots. I place them strategically around the room or hand them out to groups, so everyone can keep an eye on fluctuations. There’s nothing better than an EMF spike that hits all the meters at once!
Mel Meter ($100) - Provides digital EMF and temperature readings, making it a bit more accurate than the KII.
Ranged thermometer ($35) - You’ve probably seen one of these in a fancy kitchen (a.k.a my roommate’s meat thermometer). It basically looks like a plastic laser gun that points and returns a reading. So when your buddy thinks they see a shadow person in the corner, you can scan it for temperature changes as corroborating evidence.
Thermal Camera ($190 - $500) - Higher tech version of the above with a temperature reading on top of thermal images. I was told that during one of my Spirit Box sessions at The Conjuring House, a blue cold spot in the shape of a large human formed in the doorway behind me (I was blindfolded with noise cancelling headphones on, so I had no idea). What a trip!
*Note: Electronics, especially microwaves and routers, can cause EMF to spike. Watch out for electrical wiring, Exit signs, your phone, and other equipment that could set off the meters and lead to false positives. Best to put your phone in airplane mode when taking EMF readings.
**Also note: Yes, ghosts can influence temperature and make cold spots. But did you know they can also make warm spots? Keep an eye out for any temperature variation that might be significant.
Proximity Meters / Sensors
Cat Balls ($5) - Tiny plastic balls that light up when touched.
Rem-Pod ($190) - Antenna senses temperature and EMF fluctuations and transmits different colored lights and high pitched noise in response. Helpful for yes/no communication and alerting you to someone’s presence.
Trigger objects are items that your ghost might be attracted to, typically for nostalgic reasons. This could be items that belonged to them, such as jewelry or a haunted doll. Or it could just be items they are familiar with and willing to touch, such as religious paraphernalia or toys.
Dead Bell ($200) - An inviting vintage concierge bell that chimes when touched or when it senses shifts in EMF.
Music Box ($60 - $300) - Spooky music plays when someone walks near it. Yes, everyone loves the coffin shaped model that you see on TV, but the cheaper, less dramatic eBay version does the job just fine.
Boo Buddy ($300) - The scariest teddy bear you’ll ever meet. Designed for kids, they sense EMF and temperature fluctuations and then SAY PHRASES OUT LOUD IN A CREEPY CHILD’S VOICE. Like “Hehehe. That tickles!” when touched. Or “Do you want to be my friend?” You know, in case you weren’t frightened enough while sitting alone in the dark. Did your Tickle Me Elmo ever lose its shit and go off randomly while you were sleeping like a Gremlin after midnight? Then you know what to expect.
Spirit Communication Devices
Spirit Box ($60 - $200) - A fancy radio that sweeps AM and FM frequencies at a rapid rate, in theory allowing spirits to speak through the white noise and radio waves. My favorite is when the ghosts start cursing at you, because the FCC prohibits profanity on radio broadcasts, so…
Estes Method - Spirit Box paired with + Head Phones ($90) + Blindfold ($10+) -Invented at The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO (yes, the hotel that inspired The Shining). The Estes method involves one person listening to the Spirit Box using noise cancelling headphones and a blindfold. They then speak out loud any words or phrases that come through, while other people ask the spirits questions and see if the listener gets intelligent responses. This is a very powerful method of communication when successful.
Ovilus ($600) - This nifty device takes readings from the environment and translates them into words, drawings, energy readings, and more.
Onvoy Ghost Box ($400) - The shiny new toy from Ghost Stop is causing a stir! I have yet to use one, but I’ve had many people brag to me about how cool they are. They give you words and numbers, yes/no answers, and even emotions!
Smart Phone Apps
Ghost Hunting Tools (Free!) - This app is one of my favorites, and not just because it’s free. I am told it’s ~60% accurate, but it almost always gives words that are relevant to the situation. My favorite time was on the Queen Mary when the fire alarm went off, and the ghosts started giving us directions to evacuate. Very helpful!
Ghost Tube ($10-$40/year - Original, SEER, VOX, and SLS) - Ghost Tube runs the gamut in terms of ghost hunting apps. The Original is very similar to an Ovilus, and VOX is very similar to a Spirit Box. The SEER uses AI technology to take readings of the environment and convert them to images. The SLS camera uses LiDAR technology to map figures and project them into a grid. (Think ghostly stick figures.) It is a much more cost effective solution than buying an actual SLS camera, which goes for ~$700 on eBay. *Watch out, because the laser technology cannot tell the difference between ghosts and living humans, or human-shaped objects, such as chairs and creepy dolls, so you get a lot of false positives.
Necrometer, Necrophonic, Spirit Talker (~$5-$10 each) - more affordable versions of the Spirit Box and Ovilus devices. Some people swear by them. You can usually see them in action over on TikTok live streams, not that I would know..
Divination Tools:
Tarot / Oracle cards
Tarot is an excellent tool for guidance about the investigation, or a better understanding of who you’re talking to. I recommend The Book of Seances, by Claire Goodchild, who provides alternative definitions of each card tailored specifically to spirit communication.
Pull a couple Oracle cards before you get started, and see if you get any insight or synchronicities throughout your investigation. You may be surprised!
Pendulum / Dowsing Rods
Pendulums are mainly for yes/no questions, but they can be useful for determining dates and names. Dowsing rods can also help point you in the direction of your ghosts or other people in the room.
Bibliomancy / Shufflemancy
Choose a book intuitively, perhaps associated with the location or time period of your ghosts. Flip the pages and stop when it feels right. Close your eyes and randomly choose a phrase, or intentionally look for phrases that stand out to you.
Follow the same steps, only with music. Choose a song or playlist intentionally, or put your music app on random shuffle and see what comes up. Listen intuitively for any words or phrases that stand out. You may start getting feelings such as chills, tears, or unexplained emotions. Make note of what is being said in the song when this happens.
Other methods:
I’ve listed some other methods that I regularly use during a séance, but I won’t go into details here. These don’t always lend themselves to a conventional ghost hunt. But they can be awesome tools for connection with spirits. See below sources / further reading and feel free to reach out to me in the comments or DM me if you would like more information.
Meditation with the intent to connect with spirits psychically
Talking boards (Ouija)
Channeling / Automatic Writing
Tasseography (tea leaves)
Scrying
Casting (charms, dominoes, entrails - just kidding!)
Sources / Further Reading:
Life With the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned From Ghosts, by Amy Bruni
Astonishing Legends Ep 162: Connor J. Randall and the Estes Method
The SB-7 Spirit Box and how it works for beginners, by Alex LeMay
Preparing for a Paranormal Investigation, by Amanda D. Paulson Pretty Fn Spooky
Martha Washington Park investigation, if you’d like to see visuals of the apps
guidance from beyond: how to effectively connect with spirits
Playing ball for an hour with Henry the ghost, a child spirit who lives at The Conjuring House, is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. I knew ghost hunting in some of the most famously haunted locations i…
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If this post has stirred your spirit, let your presence be known by clicking the heart and restack icons, or by leaving a comment below. Your engagement can summon other wandering souls to this collection, and I am yearning to hear your haunted reflections. Thank you.
🙋🏽♀️ always have been and still am afraid of the dark. I have nightlights everywhere too 💡
Thank you for sharing all the details 📝
P. S. The Book of Seances looks intriguing.