{"id":4848,"date":"2011-02-01T01:10:57","date_gmt":"2011-02-01T06:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=4923"},"modified":"2011-03-11T18:57:34","modified_gmt":"2011-03-11T23:57:34","slug":"across-the-great-divide-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2011\/02\/01\/across-the-great-divide-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Across the Great Divide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Springtime Calls Ghost Hunters Back Outdoors<\/strong><\/h3>\n


\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

R<\/strong><\/em>idgelawn Cemetery<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, we had a big winter thaw here in Michigan.\u00a0 Two feet of snow melted and the temp even hit the 50s.\u00a0 The blanket of winter draws back to reveal the grass, freshly green from its long slumber.\u00a0 The birds return and the scents of new life are in the air.<\/p>\n

It was short-lived, though.\u00a0 As I finish this article, a winter storm- complete with snow, freezing rain, and sleet descends upon the area.\u00a0 But that brief taste of springtime brings with it thoughts of sunny days and fun in the great outdoors.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re a ghost hunter, thoughts this time of year turn to revisiting favorite cemeteries and once again traveling into the unknown and investigating buildings and places.<\/p>\n

I love the poetic duality of cemeteries; from the serene landscapes to the ornate markers; from the sadness of a newly-dug site of a young person to the historic intrigue of a cracked and faded headstone of those long gone and forgotten to the pages of time.<\/p>\n

I’ve stated time and again that if you\u2019re one of those groups that think you\u2019re serious and professional paranormal investigators, but all your troupe does is sneak into cemeteries in the dead of night to snap a few pictures and laugh and have a good time, then you\u2019re not only fools, but trespassers.\u00a0 There\u2019s a big reason why laws in recent years have been established closing off these otherwise public places during the night.\u00a0 This was made all too clear in a recent news segment here in the Detroit area.<\/p>\n

Vandals caused extensive damage to Detroit’s historic Woodmere Cemetery this month.\u00a0 Rows of toppled headstones, smashed statues and headless angels replaced an otherwise tranquil setting.\u00a0 110 headstones in all were pushed over, some destroyed beyond repair.\u00a0 This is the third time vandals attacked Woodmere in the last six years.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a link to the video from the newscast: Vandals Strike Detroit\u2019s Woodmere Cemetery<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Vandal damage at Woodmere Cemetery<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re caught in a cemetery at night, no matter the reason, and you have no permission to be there, then you deserve to be charged with trespassing. \u2018Nuff Said.<\/p>\n

Now, I like to use cemeteries as a place to train new members; and even when I’m just out and about enjoying a nice day I\u2019ll come in with nothing more than a camera and recorder, or maybe even an EMF meter.\u00a0 I\u2019ll try to get a few EVPs or pictures; most of the time I\u2019ll use the weather to my advantage and snap off a library of gorgeous professional photographs; if a wandering spirit sees fit to make their presence known, all the better.\u00a0 I’ve caught enough material in cemeteries over the years to make the experience not only enjoyable on a personal level but worthwhile on a scientific level.<\/p>\n

Some claim that paranormal activity in cemeteries is impossible.\u00a0 The reasons being that those interred there are long gone and any haunting will take place around the place of death, not where they were moved to a week or more after death; this being a long enough time for whatever spirit energy to cease being attached to the physical body.<\/p>\n

Others disagree and claim that cemeteries are the most haunted spots around. \u00a0Much of the photographic \u201cevidence\u201d is the subject of ridicule from serious paranormal researchers because they were often taken at night, quickly, and generally under humid conditions including mist, ground fog, and even the condensation of the photographer\u2019s own breath.\u00a0 The time and steps needed to rule out these environmental x-factors are simply not taken into account.\u00a0 Just because you\u2019re not sweating doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t humidity in the air. When the temperature and dew points are within 10 to 15 points of each other formation of ground fog is highly likely.<\/p>\n

A dirty, abandoned cemetery is going to stir up a tremendous amount of dust and dirt.\u00a0 Snap a flash and the resulting reflections will produce photographs that look like they were taken through a dirty car window.\u00a0 These are NOT the souls of the citizens of the cemetery.\u00a0 Nothing burns my biscuits more than being presented with picture after picture filled with these dust particles and the taker eagerly chimping away, \u201cbut look at all the spirits!\u201d\u00a0 Don\u2019t waste my time or your own with orbs.<\/p>\n

Aside from that little rant on orbs, cemeteries can be a great asset in many ways for researchers.\u00a0 You can, of course, travel freely in them during the daylight hours, but if you want to conduct nighttime investigations you can do so legally with just a few phone calls.\u00a0 Contact the church, organization, or municipality that presides over the daily care and maintenance of the cemetery and seek permission.\u00a0 As always, be sincere and honest in your approach.\u00a0 If you do get the go ahead, then contact the proper authorities, and inform the local law that you will be conducting a scientific experiment in the cemetery.\u00a0 Get permission from caretakers IN WRITING and provide proof of that permission, along with the date, time, and a list of those group members that will be participating.\u00a0 They may even be willing to direct traffic around the local roads during the experiment so as to help reduce contamination if at all possible.\u00a0 It never hurts to just ask.\u00a0 The worst case is they simply say no.\u00a0 Thank them for their time and try for daylight hours.\u00a0 The problem here is that the increased traffic and noise levels of daytime could potentially taint any data you collect.<\/p>\n

As with any investigation, do your research.\u00a0 Check local records for a history of the cemetery.\u00a0 Most records will at the very least provide a list of who is buried here.\u00a0 Also look for any local events that could have caused this location to be active.<\/p>\n

Use the daylight hours to get a map or plot from the caretaker or sketch out your own, especially if there\u2019s a particular area that interests you. You\u2019ll want to have all the landmarks and topography of the locations planned in advance for a smooth and speedy investigation.<\/p>\n

If you or your team are thinking of doing grave rubbings, check with the caretaker first.\u00a0 Some very old, weather -worn headstones may be so far faded that even the light rubbing of a charcoal stick can cause further erosion.\u00a0 And please, do NOT do what I saw in one local cemetery.\u00a0 Someone had taken permanent markers or paint and lazily colored in the engraved letters on several headstones in order to make the etchings stand out.\u00a0 Not only is this disrespectful but is legally considered vandalism.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s damp, foggy, or raining, cancel and re-schedule for more favorable conditions.\u00a0 Any material obtained under such conditions would be inadmissible as scientific data.\u00a0 Besides, I sure wouldn\u2019t want to be trekking around out in the rain and mud.<\/p>\n

As always investigate in teams and designate a central command area and timetable.\u00a0 A great thing to do that will not only garner you great respect from other groups, but the gratitude and endearment of the cemetery owner is to bring a trash bags to not only clean up after yourselves, but clear the landscape of other trash and debris.<\/p>\n

Sometimes cemetery caretakers aren\u2019t interested in your data or the results, but in either case send them a professional thank you letter for allowing you to investigate.\u00a0 Check with them as to their wishes regarding any evidence you may have.\u00a0 If you obtain overwhelming evidence it and make it public, it may entice those aforementioned less-respectful types to invade the cemetery, or invite vandals.\u00a0 No one wants another Woodmere incident on their hands.<\/p>\n

So as the sunny days of spring return, keep these things in mind.\u00a0 Also, please, above all else respect yourselves, respect the sites, and respect the field.\u00a0 Happy Hunting and see you next month.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Romeo Cemetery<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Springtime Calls Ghost Hunters Back Outdoors Ridgelawn Cemetery Well, we had a big winter thaw here in Michigan.\u00a0 Two feet of snow melted and the temp even hit the 50s.\u00a0 The blanket of winter draws back to reveal the grass, freshly green from its long slumber.\u00a0 The birds return and the scents of new life are in the air. It was short-lived, though.\u00a0 As I finish this article, a winter storm- complete with snow, freezing rain, and sleet descends upon the area.\u00a0 But that brief taste of springtime brings with it thoughts of sunny days and fun in the great outdoors.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re a ghost hunter, thoughts this time of year turn to revisiting favorite cemeteries and once again traveling into the unknown and investigating buildings and places. I love the poetic duality of cemeteries; from the serene landscapes to the ornate markers; from the sadness of a newly-dug site of a young person to the historic intrigue of a cracked and faded headstone of those long gone and forgotten to the pages of time. I’ve stated time and again that if you\u2019re one of those groups that think you\u2019re serious and professional paranormal investigators, but all your troupe does is sneak into cemeteries in the dead of night to snap a few pictures and laugh and have a good time, then you\u2019re not only fools, but trespassers.\u00a0 There\u2019s a big reason why laws in recent years have been established closing off these otherwise public places during the night.\u00a0 This was made all too clear in a recent news segment here in the Detroit area. Vandals caused extensive damage to Detroit’s historic Woodmere Cemetery this month.\u00a0 Rows of toppled headstones, smashed statues and headless angels replaced an otherwise tranquil setting.\u00a0 110 headstones in all were pushed over, some destroyed beyond repair.\u00a0 This is the third time vandals attacked Woodmere in the last six years.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a link to the video from the newscast: Vandals Strike Detroit\u2019s Woodmere Cemetery Vandal damage at Woodmere Cemetery If you\u2019re caught in a cemetery at night, no matter the reason, and you have no permission to be there, then you deserve to be charged with trespassing. \u2018Nuff Said. Now, I like to use cemeteries as a place to train new members; and even when I’m just out and about enjoying a nice day I\u2019ll come in with nothing more than a camera and recorder, or maybe even an EMF meter.\u00a0 I\u2019ll try to get a few EVPs or pictures; most of the time I\u2019ll use the weather to my advantage and snap off a library of gorgeous professional photographs; if a wandering spirit sees fit to make their presence known, all the better.\u00a0 I’ve caught enough material in cemeteries over the years to make the experience not only enjoyable on a personal level but worthwhile on a scientific level. Some claim that paranormal activity in cemeteries is impossible.\u00a0 The reasons being that those interred there are long gone and any haunting will take place around the place of death, not where they were moved to a week or more after death; this being a long enough time for whatever spirit energy to cease being attached to the physical body. Others disagree and claim that cemeteries are the most haunted spots around. \u00a0Much of the photographic \u201cevidence\u201d is the subject of ridicule from serious paranormal researchers because they were often taken at night, quickly, and generally under humid conditions including mist, ground fog, and even the condensation of the photographer\u2019s own breath.\u00a0 The time and steps needed to rule out these environmental x-factors are simply not taken into account.\u00a0 Just because you\u2019re not sweating doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t humidity in the air. When the temperature and dew points are within 10 to 15 points of each other formation of ground fog is highly likely. A dirty, abandoned cemetery is going to stir up a tremendous amount of dust and dirt.\u00a0 Snap a flash and the resulting reflections will produce photographs that look like they were taken through a dirty car window.\u00a0 These are NOT the souls of the citizens of the cemetery.\u00a0 Nothing burns my biscuits more than being presented with picture after picture filled with these dust particles and the taker eagerly chimping away, \u201cbut look at all the spirits!\u201d\u00a0 Don\u2019t waste my time or your own with orbs. Aside from that little rant on orbs, cemeteries can be a great asset in many ways for researchers.\u00a0 You can, of course, travel freely in them during the daylight hours, but if you want to conduct nighttime investigations you can do so legally with just a few phone calls.\u00a0 Contact the church, organization, or municipality that presides over the daily care and maintenance of the cemetery and seek permission.\u00a0 As always, be sincere and honest in your approach.\u00a0 If you do get the go ahead, then contact the proper authorities, and inform the local law that you will be conducting a scientific experiment in the cemetery.\u00a0 Get permission from caretakers IN WRITING and provide proof of that permission, along with the date, time, and a list of those group members that will be participating.\u00a0 They may even be willing to direct traffic around the local roads during the experiment so as to help reduce contamination if at all possible.\u00a0 It never hurts to just ask.\u00a0 The worst case is they simply say no.\u00a0 Thank them for their time and try for daylight hours.\u00a0 The problem here is that the increased traffic and noise levels of daytime could potentially taint any data you collect. As with any investigation, do your research.\u00a0 Check local records for a history of the cemetery.\u00a0 Most records will at the very least provide a list of who is buried here.\u00a0 Also look for any local events that could have caused this location to be active. Use the daylight hours to get a map or plot from the caretaker or sketch out your own, especially if there\u2019s a particular area that interests you. You\u2019ll want to have all the landmarks and topography of the locations planned in advance for a smooth and speedy investigation. If you or your team are thinking of doing grave rubbings, check with the caretaker first.\u00a0 Some very old, weather -worn headstones may be so far faded that even the light rubbing of a charcoal stick can cause further erosion.\u00a0 And please, do NOT do what I saw in one local cemetery.\u00a0 Someone had taken permanent markers or paint and lazily colored in the engraved letters on several headstones in order to make the etchings stand out.\u00a0 Not only is this disrespectful but is legally considered vandalism. If it\u2019s damp, foggy, or raining, cancel and re-schedule for more favorable conditions.\u00a0 Any material obtained under such conditions would be inadmissible as scientific data.\u00a0 Besides, I sure wouldn\u2019t want to be trekking around out in the rain and mud. As always investigate in teams and designate a central command area and timetable.\u00a0 A great thing to do that will not only garner you great respect from other groups, but the gratitude and endearment of the cemetery owner is to bring a trash bags to not only clean up after yourselves, but clear the landscape of other trash and debris. Sometimes cemetery caretakers aren\u2019t interested in your data or the results, but in either case send them a professional thank you letter for allowing you to investigate.\u00a0 Check with them as to their wishes regarding any evidence you may have.\u00a0 If you obtain overwhelming evidence it and make it public, it may entice those aforementioned less-respectful types to invade the cemetery, or invite vandals.\u00a0 No one wants another Woodmere incident on their hands. So as the sunny days of spring return, keep these things in mind.\u00a0 Also, please, above all else respect yourselves, respect the sites, and respect the field.\u00a0 Happy Hunting and see you next month. Romeo Cemetery<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4848\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}