California Ghost Chasers

Q: Do ghosts exist?
A: We don't know what it is. We can only prove paranormal activity. We can not prove that a Ghost is the cause, or even if they exist!

Q: Why do ghosts appear only at night?
A: Ghosts or spirits are around us all of the time they can be seen at anytime during the day or night. It is just that most people go looking for a haunting experience at night. It is also believed that the dark aids in manifestation the best times for a sighting is between 11:00pm to 3:00am.

Q: What Do Ghosts Look Like?
A: A ghost is an alleged spirit of a dead person. Ghosts may be visible, though only a small percentage of cases involve visual images. Generally, ghosts make their presence known through mysterious noises, smells, sensations of cold, and the movement of objects. Some apparitions seem real and solid with definable form and features; others seem fuzzy, luminous, transparent, wispy, and ill-defined--nothing more than streaks or patches of light or a mere bloodstain. Apparitions appear and disappear suddenly. They can move through walls and objects, or walk around them. They can cast shadows, and their images can be reflected in mirrors.

Q: What is the difference between Ghost, and Demon?
A: A ghost is the spirit that was once human. They do not hurt us and they do not hate us. A Demon was never alive, never walked the earth, and is hostile to humans. There are evil spirits that was once human, but are jealous of the living, hostile, or angry.

Q: How can a brand new house be haunted?
A: Just because a house is newly constructed doesn't mean its not going to be haunted. There might have been a building that had previously stood on the same site that had a resident ghost or perhaps the land itself may hold a tragic tale of a lost soul who died on the spot where a new house now stands.

Q: How can I tell if I really have a ghost?
A: Well, that may sound like an easy question, but its not. Noises, cold spots and seeing shadows can be easily attributed to natural causes. That cold spot could be from an overhead vent or an open window. Shadows can fly all over if a hanging lamp gets blown in a breeze. Voices can carry through one open window to another open window, making you think that you're hearing an EVP. You really have to rule out the natural before considering the supernatural. But there are times when you KNOW you're sharing space with a ghost. The best way to make sure is to have a professional group conduct an investigation. You should be able to find one in your local area. You can check our links page. Be prepared to have at least two visits. Ghosts don't always perform on cue and may keep quiet until they "warm" up to the investigators.

Q: If I have a ghost, what should I do?
A: That depends on you. If you don't want to live with it you can move out or follow one of the steps under "How can I get rid of a ghost?". If you want an investigation conducted, then you need to get in touch with a ghost hunting group in your area. You can find several Paranormal Research Groups on the internet in your surrounding area.

Q: Why can some people sense a presence, but another person can't?
A: Some people are more open-minded and will more easily accept their natural instincts. I stand by my belief that if you get the feeling you're not alone, then you're not. I think its part of our basic animal instincts warning us of another presence. Trust your feelings. Your body does not lie to you, so listen to it.

Q: Why can children see ghosts better then adults?
A: Children are still open to the world. They have not been forced to accept certain "truths" about the real world adults live in. For more on this you can see our theory about Spirits and Children.

Q: How long does it take to determine whether or not a site is haunted?
A: Often we can determine if a site is actually haunted about a month after an initial investigation. This leaves us time to review every piece of evidence to be sure its genuine. We need to rule out all possible natural causes before accepting a paranormal cause. Most investigators have full time jobs, therefore it could take a while before we all have a chance to review the evidence.

Q: Can I get rid of a ghost?
A: Spirits co-exist with us if you have seen one it's most likely telling you "I'm Here" you could try to make Pease with it. There are several ways to getting rid of a unwanted ghost. One way is to have a priest or another member of a religious order to do a blessing on the house, or to perform an exorcist, depending on the activity, or tell the spirit "This is my house now, and I want you to leave.."

Q: What is the difference between a poltergeist and a ghost?
A: Noisy Ghosts manifests through making strange noises, hurling objects across the room. However, many ghosts hunters agree that poltergeist activity isn't the work of any ghosts at all it's more of a manifestation form emotionally charged person through anger and/or adolescents.

Q: Can a ghost follow me home?
A: Usually ghosts are restricted to places they have frequented during life or where they died. Just by going to a haunted house is not going to cause you to start hearing footsteps in your own house. Ghosts have been known to attached themselves to objects, like furniture. People who get attached to certain items during their life are hard-pressed to let them go after death. These items, maybe bought from a "haunted house", may very well be the reason the house was haunted! Also, taking objects from a haunted site may very well come with an extra bonus...that of a ghost.

Q: What is an EVP?
A: EVP (electronic voice phenomena) are usually collected by walking in a haunted location and asking questions. During the EVP process, the voice recorder is recording all noise, etc., and is analyzed after the EVP ghost hunt. Then, EVP software can be used to analyze the recording for any electronic voice phenomena collected, and to clean up the recording, so the voice(s) may be heard better.

Q: Can I talk to a ghost? Will it talk back to me?
A: Yes you can talk to a ghost. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that ghosts were once living people like you and me. Talk to them, ask them a question. You may be surprised by what you may get....a response. No, you won't get one all the time. Heck, you may never get a response, but its worth a try. You may want to have some type of audio recorder with you. We have found that most of the time, you can't hear them with your normal hearing. When you play back the tape, you just may find a surprise!

Q: When recording EVPs, do I need special equipment?
A: Nope. You could use a old tape recorder with an external microphone. The internal microphones tends to pick up a lot of noise from the gears inside the tape recorder itself, which leads to a lot of static. I use a digital recorder from Sony with a USB connector so I can filter out noise using software on my computer.

Q: What are EMFs?
A: EMF stands for Electromagnetic Fields. Power lines, electrical wiring, televisions, microwave ovens, and appliances all produce electric and magnetic fields. EMFs are invisible lines of force that surround any electrical device. The earth itself has its own electromagnetic field. The earth produces EMFs, mainly in the form of DC (also called static fields). Electric fields are produced by thunderstorm activity in the atmosphere. Near the ground, the DC electric field is less than the much stronger fields that occur directly beneath electrical storms. Magnetic fields are thought to be produced by electric currents flowing deep within the earth’s molten core. It is believed by many ghost hunters that spirits posses the ability to manipulate these fields, though no one is sure whether they do it purposely or if it is a natural reaction of their energy. By using an EMF detection device, one can measure the strength of the fields in specific areas. When using these devices, be sure to rule out any power source, like those mentioned above, before considering a paranormal origin. For a real in-depth article about this, visit the Articles section.

Q: What do you think of digital cameras for ghost hunting?
A: Digital cameras are the best way to go. The newer 10 Giga Pixel has beater quality then the 35mm cameras these days. Plus you don't need to develop the film just to fine bad pictures with a LCD screen, pictures are ready to view instantly. You can connect your Digital camera to your computer to load on your web site you don't have to wait a week or pay for same day developing to see whether you captured anything. Another advantage a digital camera can take video at a press of a button you could run down an object and film it at the same time. The only real advantage of 35mm film negatives is good evidence that the picture was never altered.

Q: Are ghost photographs faked?
A: People have faked photographs since the beginning of photography. Just because we can fake something does not mean that all photographs are faked. I would rely on the integrity of the institution, or of the photographer. Then of course an analysis from a credible organization of skeptics. Once its passed a gauntlet of scrutiny and testing you are left with one conclusion. Is it real? well that's when you join a paranormal research group and seek your own answers.

Q: Have you ever used a Ouija board?
A: Yes I have. When I was younger I tried it with a bunch of friends, just because I was curious. Nothing happened and I lost interest. From some research and "hear-say" I've learned that Ouija boards can be a potential danger to an inexperienced person. The Ouija board shares the same common element as everything considered paranormal...and that is no one really knows what it is capable of. People use these boards to "invite" spirits to talk to them.

Q: Where do I find ghosts?
A: If you said graveyard you would be wrong. People don't die in graveyards! There is very strong evidence that trauma before death is conducive to many kinds of spirit activity. Then again other spirit activity has a lot to do with minerals in the ground, or in the structure. The theory is that Spirits are electro magnetic energy and that certain kinds of materials can imprint and store EME like a tape recorder can play it back over and over again.

Q: What is DOP (disappearing object phenomenon)?
A: DOP - disappearing object phenomenon - is a relatively common phenomenon in which an object disappears from view and later inexplicably returns. For example, a person puts their car keys on a kitchen counter, where they are always kept. When the person goes to get them, they are gone. A thorough search turns up nothing. Later, the keys are found on the counter where they were originally put (or some other obvious place. It's difficult to document a genuine DOP occurrence because people can be careless, simply misplace things or be forgetful. But there are many compelling stories from people who are certain they looked for the object in the place that it later appears. In some cases, people audibly call out for the object to be returned - and it is. In some rare cases, the missing object has actually been seen materializing out of thin air. It is also known as the "borrower" phenomenon. It may be related to poltergeist phenomena.

Q: Can animals be ghosts?
A: The answer seems to be yes. Animals, it seems, can be both ghosts and involved in hauntings. There are countless stories from people who have heard, felt and even seen pets well after they have died. The animal usually behaves in ways that it did in life, carrying out its routines and habits - jumping on a bed, for example, to cuddle with its owner. The phenomenon brings up the question: do animals share the same life after death that humans do?

Q: Why Ghost Are Ghost?
A: (Sudden Death) - It is believed that when someone dies of a sudden death they are not aware that they have even died. They don't understand what has happened to them. They are usually confused ,unable to communicate , and usually stay in the area where they passed.

(Dimensions) - In this theory it is believed that we are not seeing ghost at all but we live in one of several dimensions that are just seconds apart. In theory every event in history is happening at the same time but just in different dimensions. Everything taking place is during the present and the past and future do not really exist. All of the dimensions are running next to each other but at different speeds. It is believed that some sort of ripple affect can cause dimensions to overlap with each other causing us to see those of what we know as the past.

(Unfinished Business) - The unfinished business theory. Many believed that the spirit can not let go of loved ones , friends , or even sometimes work. So they sick around to watch over things.

(Not Letting Go) - In the physical world some people rely heavily on certain individuals. Whether it may be a family member or even a friend. When that person has passed they just can't let them go because they need them to be here again. They depended on them for so long that they can't fathom life without that person.

Q: What is the Witching hour?
A: In European folklore, the witching hour is the time when supernatural creatures such as witches, demons and ghosts are thought to be at their most powerful, and black magic at its most effective. This hour is typically midnight, and the term may now be used to refer to midnight, or any late hour, even without having the associated superstitious beliefs. The term "witching hour" can also refer to the period from midnight to 3am.

Q: What happens to a person when they die?
A: In the dying moments consciousness begins to drift to a higher level of existence; often relatives and loved ones will appear, sometimes accompanied by a spirit presence. Then the person passes out of the physical body and into the etheric body. This process is sometimes witnessed as a silver thread rising out of the abdomen or top of the head. The spirit will then linger by the body for a short while - usually a few days at most - before casting off the etheric body and moving through a tunnel into the spirit world.

Q: How much do you charge for an investigation?
A: Investigations are always free and confidential no fees or payment are ever charged or expected.

Q: How long does an investigation take?
A: Investigations take anywhere from 4-6 hours, depending on size of the house, business, etc. and on the level and type of activity being reported. Sometimes it may be desirable to conduct multiple investigations.

Q: Can you "get rid of" my ghost?
A: We can try, depending on the type of haunting. In our investigation we look for "natural" causes for the events you are experiencing and suggest ways to fix these problems if we determine that spirit activity exist. We can perform a blessing, or cleansing of the home. We can also bring in specialists, such as experienced demonologists, if needed.

Q: What is Matrixing?
A: This phenomena is also known as Pareidolia, a type of Apophenia. Matrixing seems to have been coined more recently by paranormal investigators, and is often used in reference to seeing or hearing what the investigator mistakenly believes is confirmation of the paranormal, typically in collected video, photographic, or audio investigative documentation. Common examples include seeing faces or familiar shapes in clouds, smoke, trees, rocks, or bowls of mashed potatoes, and hearing messages in recordings that are played backwards.