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Meeting Steam
Washington D.C. Ghost Hunting Page
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Finally, an FAQ page for all of you out there with plenty of ghost questions! These are all actual questions from site visitors. Hope they help!
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"I was wondering if you could help me figure out exactly what is a ghost hunter is?"
To put it simply, a ghost hunter/investigator goes to a place they believe may be haunted and tries to get proof that a ghost might be, or is, there.
"I see on TV that some people invite ghost hunters to search for a ghost. Do they get paid at all for this?"
Nope. Not at all. Nada. I can’t stress that enough. Ghost hunters don’t charge fees for investigations. It would be an ethical problem. Only in very special cases, such as if extreme travel is required or a special event is taking place, does a group charge—and it’s a very small fee. Usually all hunts, investigations, and classes/workshops are free. You're benefitting from investigating their site and it’s considered a privilege to do this. Most ghost hunters wouldn’t think of charging.
"Do you know if this is kind of like a job or is it more like a hobby?"
For most of us it is sort of a pasttime we enjoy very much, but we are pretty serious about it. Some hunters/researchers put in a time investment almost similar to that of a job. But you don’t mind when you love what you do.
"What got you started ghost hunting?"
I’ve always been interested in ghosts and ghost lore, so ghost hunting seemed like a natural extension of that.
"Is it at all like the movie 'Ghostbusters', so when you find them then you get
rid of them?"
I get this question a lot! OK...On one investigation with a local group, the battlefield was getting colder and colder during the hours we were out there and there were kids playing pranks. It’s a lot of walking around or being stationary taking measurements and pictures and hoping for something to happen. Don't get me wrong, it can get pretty exciting, but a standard hunt/investigation is usually much quieter than the movie was. We can’t catch them, and we can’t get rid of them.
"How can you make a ghost go away?"
There’s not really an easy answer for that question. Many times a ghost or spirit is in a
place because of an attachment to it/someone there/an item there/the land itself.
Some people perform exorcisms or some type of elaborate ceremony. Some believe
you can politely ask the spirit to leave. You can’t really make them go anywhere if
they don’t want to is what I personally believe.
"My daughter seems to 'draw' spirits/ghosts or what-have-you’s to us since she was little (she’s now 19). We seem to always have an 'active' house or are these things 'following' her?"
Some researchers believe that normally, ghosts do not follow you. I personally believe that many families have spirits who have a personal interest in them due to their being a friend or loved one who is still interested in their day-to-day. There are a lot of photos out there that seem to have caught a spirit on film during weddings, birthdays, and other special events. Also, a child’s —and especially a teenager’s—emotional energy seems to attract spirits. Some researchers believe that teenagers often trigger what we know as poltergeists, when unusual things such as knocking noises, objects moving, and other strange things take place.
"Are some people more 'open' to spirits and do they gravitate to them?"
I personally believe so.
"When--and if you see ghosts--do you see them the most? During the day or night?"
Doesn’t matter. Turning on the light doesn’t work. Bright daytime? Nope. It doesn’t matter. If there’s a spirit present, it’ll be there no matter what the time of day (or night) it is.
"I think my house may be haunted…"
Short of actually seeing an apparition, there are many signs of a possibly haunted home: unexplained shadows, electrical problems, feelings of being watched, cold spots (not caused by drafts), sudden movements out of the corners of the eyes, spooked (no pun intended) pets, uneasy feelings in certain areas, and unusual noises (such as voices, whispering, or footsteps). For the most part, the average ghost/spirit seems to be harmless. I do not maintain a group myself so if you are having a serious haunting, please email me and I can refer you to a group in your area that can help. Serious emails only in that regard.
"They [orbs] make almost a perfect circle! Could that not be from the camera or the film?"
Absolutely. That is exactly why I changed my viewpoint about orb photos. Through the course of my research I have noticed that particularly with digital cameras, they seem to really pick up dust and anything on the lens. Often this produces something that looks like an orb. I'm not saying that the orb in the picture isn't a spirit, but it just seems a little more suspect to me. "Ectoplasm" on the other hand...
"You mean people actually fall for that crap? Orbs?? LOL!!"
I love skeptics because they keep you grounded. But to be honest, all ghost hunters/investigators try (or should try) to listen to their inner skeptic to help them to rule out natural causes or film/camera malfunctions. This isn’t an exact science, so you’re open to making errors. When I maintained a gallery for this site, I rejected photos because I could tell it was a processing error or a naturally-caused anomaly such as sun glare or lens flare. As for “falling for that crap,” I tell people that they don’t have to believe in ghosts at all, just the possibility of them.
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