Things you can do if you have no investigations
We all love the paranormal and we crave the next investigation. During the summer months, I know here in Australia it literally gets too hot to even consider being locked up in a small room with no ventilation or air conditioning for a few hours. I think many of us have tried it, and are not in a hurry to do it again. Maybe funds are tight and you can't affford to attend a local tour. Maybe you don't have transport available or maybe you have been a but unwell and can't face a night out. There are a long list of reasons as to why you may not get to go out and do an investigation. I think back to a couple of years ago when I didn’t do a lot of investigations at all. I would attend the odd tour here or there but if the group I was in at the time wanted to do a proper private investigation with just us, it hit the wallet hard. As a stay at home mum with 2 kids, I couldn’t really afford to fork out hundreds on dollars. We would all chip in where we could but it meant that we only investigated every couple of months as a group and maybe once a month if I attended a tour. What did I do when I wasn’t investigating? As I sit here now craving the paranormal, I am looking back to the things I used to do and wanted to share. Patience is a big thing with the paranormal so here are some things you can do that will give your quick fix for the paranormal and may even help you as an investigator as well!.
Review evidence
This is a pretty easy one. Do you have any audio that is lying around that you just haven’t ‘got to’ yet. When you do long investigations, sometimes there are hours and hours and hours of footage and audio to review. Maybe you can revisit some old evidence. What you may think you couldn’t explain at the time might look or sound differently when you revisit it. There have been occasions where I have captured a photo that I couldn’t explain and months later when I review it again, I have had the gift of hindsight or may have even learnt a few things in between that have allowed me to understand what was going on. I have debunked a lot of different things this way. Looking at it later on gives you a new perspective. You are not as fresh off the investigation and maybe not as emotionally attached to your evidence. Maybe you learnt more things in the mean time or maybe it is something you just didn’t think of at the time. If you are not trying to debunk your old evidence it is a trip down memory lane and may just give you that little fix, or it could have itching for more.
Research
Do you have an investigation coming up? Maybe you could do some research on the history. If you prefer going into a location blind, maybe you can research some different investigating techniques. What are other groups doing? Maybe they are trying something a little different. Is there a new piece of equipment you want? You could do some research on that. In fact what about the equipment you have now. Do you know how it works? I mean do you truely know and understands how it works? You could research that. The great thing about research is that there are so many avenues you can go down. There is this really cool thing called the internet. You have the luxury that investigators 20 years ago didn’t have. Everything is at your fingertips. Take advantage of it. The more you learn, the better the investigator you will become. It doesnt matter if you have 2 or 20 years of experience. There is always something you can be learning. Don’t underestimate the power of a really good book. Research isn’t just google. Pick up a book, visit your local library or make contact with a historical society. There is so much you can do.
Be Creative
Do you blog about things like I do? When I have some down time I try to churn out a few articles to keep for a rainy day. Do you have footage that you don’t know what to do with? Maybe make a video or a vlog. You don’t even have to publish it online it can either be for you or you can put it out there and show everyone what you have been doing. Back in the day, we used to make equipment videos. We would choose a piece of equipment and make a video about how the equipment works and what interferes with it and we would put it out there for people to see. Don’t be embarrassed. If you have something you want to say or show, get it out there. I know it is scary. I hesitated for weeks before launching this blog. I had it ready to go but I was scared to push the publish button. What was I scared of? I was scared of what people were going to say. I didn’t want people to be critical of me because I am a very sensitive person and I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I let go of the fear and I was surprised at how wonderful everyone has been. If you own what you do and are confident you will have nothing to worry about. If you are thinking of taking that creative leap, your down time is the best time to start! It may even motivate you to go out there and investigate more.
Catch up on paranormal content
There is some great paranormal content out there available online. There are podcasts, web series, blogs and articles. You just have to know where to look. Everyone has something to offer and it is worth listening and reading what these people have to say. You might learn a thing or two along the way or it might inspire you and lead you on a certain path for your next investigation. Maybe the topic is about equipment or technique. You may or may not agree with what they have to say but it is important to take on board all opinions out in the field. It would be boring if we all thought the same so if we can take in as much information as we can by different people in the field, it makes us better investigators. It can also hbe quite entertaining (sometimes frustrating) by watching what and how other investigators do things but it can help you regroup and remember how and why you want to do what you do.
Build Equipment/Create Experiments
If you are a technical kind of person, perhaps you can build some equipment. A lot of people build their own IR lights or make rigs for cameras etc. If you are like me and you are not as technically minded, perhaps you can look into some experiements that you can do. There are popular experiments and theories out there, but maybe you can adapt them. Make them you own and change them to look for the answers that perhaps you are looking for. Gather everything you need and start your planning. Depending on the experiement, a fair amount of planning may be needed. A perfect way to fill your time and get you excited for your next investigation.
Visit locations during the day
One of the biggest problems we face is the lack of locations. There are a few groups that are opening up new locations or starting more things at established one. If you can’t get to any of these, you can still go there during the day. Most will have some sort of open day. Take a walk around and bask in it’s beauty. Take an EVP recorder with you if you wish and sit in a quiet corner. Take some photos or just enjoy your surroundings. There may be a lot of people there and it is not dark, but some of the weirdest experiences I have had, have happened in the middle of the day. Visiting during the day is probably my most favourite thing to do. I take my camera, go nuts with the photos and just enjoy.
Socialise
Got some friends in the paranormal? Why not have a catch up. Talk about theories, past experiences, the future. If you can’t see each other in person you can chat on Skype or FaceTime or even just have a online chat. I can’t see my paranormal crew all the time but you can bet we are on FaceTime or the phone or even messenger chat every single day talking about the paranormal. We are usually just as keen as one another for an investigation and you never know, an impromptu something may get organised. You don’t know anyone? That’s ok too. There are so many forums, chat rooms, Facebook groups dedicated to the paranormal. Find one that you are drawn to and chat away. You may just meet your new paranormal bestie.
These are just a few of the many things that you can do. If you are reading this, you have a passion for the paranormal. The hardest thing about being an investigator is not investigating. All I can tell you is be patient. It can be hard, you have this ‘calling’ and you feel like you can’t do anything. To me, it is not just about investigating. I love so many different aspects of this field. Don’t just focus on the investigating part because there is so much more to it. This history and the research side is where I personally am focused. Some are more focused on equipment or evidence and that is cool too. Find out where your strengths and interests lie. We are always learning so use your down time to learn as much as possible. If you fully embrace it, not only will you get your paranormal fix more often, but you will even become a better investigator. What are some of your tips to cure that paranormal bug when you have no investigatons on the calendar?
If you enjoy LLIFS, consider buying me a book (otherwise known as buy me a coffee but I don't drink coffee and I LOVE books). Your donation helps to fund the LLIFS website so everyone can continue to access great paranormal content and resources for FREE!
Top pages with similar subjects
Don't forget to follow the Facebook page for regular updates
Join the mailing list to receive weekly updates of NEW articles. Never miss an article again!
Buy the latest and past issues Haunted Magazine
Check out the books written by LLIFS