The Temple of Cybele

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Conducting Paranormal Investigations

By Priestess Jean

One of the historical functions of a Priest or Priestess is to deal with any disturbing metaphysical events that may be reported to them by members of their community. In our modern society it is not unusual for people to seek assistance from the clergy of their church or temple, with problems of this type. Yet, in general, I've found that the clergy of most mainstream religions prefers to avoid becoming involved with these issues, for a number of reasons. They may regard them as not being genuine problems, and dismiss them as the product of superstitious people's imaginations... or they may not wish to jeopardize their reputation, if the reports turn out to be a hoax, or if they are unsuccessful in resolving the matter.

One thing that is apparent is that these sorts of concerns have existed since very early times in human history. We might speculate that they are merely the result of some inherent flaw in the human psyche, or on the other hand, they may be the result of genuine metaphysical phenomena which we have yet to fully understand. There have been quite a few cases that were investigated by some very level-headed and reliable people, and although many of them did turn out to be the result of hoaxes or human error, some of them clearly were not.

As a result of the reluctance of the mainstream religions to address metaphysical concerns, and the very impressive recent advances in science and technology, the investigation of these events has increasingly shifted more and more into the realm of academic research.

Today, we may find some colleges and universities with graduate students (usually psychology majors) performing scientific testing intended to confirm such things as telepathy, precognition, psychokinesis, and the survival of consciousness after death. While we certainly welcome such endeavors, and clearly recognize their usefulness, there are several significant constraints which should be remembered.

First, phenomena of this sort are very elusive. They are not often easily repeated in the laboratory, for convenient analysis. Secondly, it is always far more difficult to quantify and explain a phenomena, than to simply perceive it. We might consider that although people have known for thousands of years that objects which are dropped fall to the ground, the force of gravity has only very recently been properly explained.

In addition to the genuine scientific inquires now underway, we have seen an increase in the number of amateur paranormal investigation groups offering to assist the public. Some of the groups are composed of sincere intelligent people, capable of doing competent detective work... while others consist mostly of impressionable teen-agers who are basically seeking a little excitement in their own lives.

Many of these paranormal investigation groups utilize various high-tech gadgets such as voice recorders, infrared cameras, EMF detectors, and the like. I happen to be an electronic engineer with over 30 years of experience, and in my opinion, while these attemps to obtain evidence are very laudable, many of the gadgets in use are completely unsuitable for the purpose, and only create distractions and confusion.

Finally, regardless of whether paranormal research is performed in a genuine scientific manner, or by amateurs in the field, there is one serious common problem involved. The goal of the research is merely to collect evidence and speculate on the cause of such events. There is little or no concern for a proper resolution.

It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the practices used by our religion to resolve metaphysical problems. Many of the basic concepts are explained in a series of Mystery Teachings, available only to members of our temple. Suffice to say that although we begin any investigation with much the same sort of basic detective work as others might do, our goal is to fully resolve any genuine problems, in a proper spiritual way.

Our involvement with a case begins following an initial contact of some sort. At that time, it's important to evaluate the situation and determine exactly where things stand. One of the most significant factors is the location of the event. Is it within our immediate vicinity, or will we be working remotely, via email, telephone, and proxies ? Next, what have the parties involved already done, and who have they already spoken with ? Has the situation been complicated by that ?

Yet another critical factor involves the people themselves. Do they share any of our beliefs ? Do they have full confidence in us ? The majority of the time, most of these factors are against us. The people will be located remotely, they will already have taken some foolish actions and gotten others involved, and they will not understand our beliefs, nor have very much confidence in us. In a case like that, the probabilty of a positive outcome is slight, so I generally decline to become involved.

For purposes of this article, let's consider a more favorable situation. Suppose, at a minimum, that the people involved have confidence in us, and share some of our beliefs, so that we are sure of their full cooperation. The first thing that we must do is get a statement from each person involved. Usually they will already have discussed the situation among themselves, so we should ask them to state only what they personally heard or saw, and not be influenced by what others may have told them later.

After considering all the statements which we have received, if we believe that there is a possibility of a genuine paranormal event, we should then make a careful examination of the area for physical evidence. A good camera and a magnifying lens will prove very useful. If we are not able to make the examination ourselves, we must find a proxy to carry it out, who understands the situation and what sort of evidence we are looking for. If anything is found, it should be properly recorded and analysed.

At this point, we should consider whether any sort of natural causes might be responsible for the events in question. One of the most common things that can lead to psychological disturbances in people is the presence of various toxic gasses in an area. In small doses they are not fatal, but instead can cause all sorts of ill effects, from feelings of unease and fright, to outright hallucinations.

Fortunately, these types of environmental contaminants are easy to check for. A local gas company will often perform a check of a home or place of business without charge, and small home gas detectors are available very inexpensively. Be certain they are designed to detect all of the common gasses, including natural gas (methane), propane, ethylene, carbon monoxide, etc. Remember that even if a house has no direct gas service, gas can still come from other nearby sources, both man-made and natural.

Another common cause of unusual events are problems with electrical power systems. Faulty wiring in older structures, deteriorating or defective transformers in the area, or even the presence of nearby high voltage power lines may have all sorts of disturbing effects. These can include lights or appliances that turn on and off by themselves, electrical shocks, feelings of anxiety, illness, etc.

If those sort of electrical problems are suspected, you might try using an inexpensive wiring-fault tester. These small devices are simply plugged into electrical outlets and a series of colored lights indicates if a problem exists. Beyond that, the local power company will check for things such as ground-currents in the area, free of charge. You might also ask them to hook up a special monitoring device which can be left in place for several days, and records all power-line activity at the location.

Electro-magnetic fields can cause even more complex effects. Nearby radio or television broadcasters, ham radio operators, airport radar, or even military aircraft passing overhead (which emit radar beams) can cause sensitive electronic devices to malfunction. Radio controlled garage doors may open or close, cordless or cell phones may ring, televisions or radios may change stations, etc.

The source of electro-magnetic energy is usually not difficult to find. Large antennas and airports are quite obvious, as are military jets flying overhead. Most of these emissions fall within the law, and little can be done to stop them... however, if they can be identified as the source of the disturbance, at least the person affected can relax, and their concerns about metaphysical phenomena can be dismissed.

Magnetic anomalies are more unusual events. They are caused by an outcropping of natural iron in the area, which conducts the magnetic energy of the earth and creates an unusually strong local field. While there is ongoing debate in the scientific community about the effects that magnetic fields may have upon people, it seems quite likely that they can cause various feelings of unease and disorientation, as well as affecting sensitive electronics.

Fortunately, a magnetic anomaly is very easy to locate... an inexpensive compass is all that is required. Simply take the compass and move around in the general area, while watching it for any deflections of the pointer. A genuine magnetic anomaly will produce consistent deflections, at distances of 50 feet or more. Naturally, there is no practical remedy for homes that may be located over a magnetic anomaly, however it's something to remember, when you're considering the purchase of a new home.

One other sort of natural geological occurence that I'd like to discuss are the so-called Brown Mountain lights. Although this type of thing is extremely rare, I feel that it deserves mention, since it illustrates the range of peculiar characteristics that natural phenomena can display.

For many years strange glowing balls of light have been seen floating around Brown Mountain, in North Carolina. All sorts of metaphysical ideas had been proposed, but eventually scientists discovered the true cause. It seems that the mountain is composed of a very rare combination of iron and quartz, which acts as a crude semi-conductor. When solar radiation reaches a certain level during the day, charged particles accumulate within the mountain, and are re-emitted later, as small balls of glowing plasma.

We must be aware of the fact that strange glowing balls of light, and other sorts of peculiar events, often do have a natural explanation... and without any furthur evidence to support it, the presumption that the event is of a metaphysical nature would be foolish. However, if the case in question does have qualities which cannot be explained by any natural cause, then there is very good reason to regard it as a genuine metaphysical phenomena, and we should proceed accordingly.

The next phase of the investigation should focus on the background history of the location involved. We are essentially looking for a record of similar previous events, or a possible cause for the current events. This may often have to do with the previous use of the property, or the previous occupants.

Exactly how to proceed with the research depends to a large extent on what information we may already have. However, assuming we know little or nothing to begin with, then our first task is to find the names of the previous owners. The current deed will show the name of the most recent previous owner, but that person may have simply inherited the property and immediately re-sold it... thus, they were not the actual previous occupant of the house. In order to get a complete history of ownership, we should do a title and deed search at the local county clerk's office.

Next, we should begin to put together a picture of the lives of the previous occupants. We are especially concerned with any deaths in the house, or involvements with malevolent sorcery. Beyond those family members who lived in the house, our investigation should also include any borders, servants, guests, etc. Obviously this research can be a very difficult and time-consuming task.

Interviewing nearby neighbors is often very helpful, if you can find some older people who have lived in the area for a long time. Obtaining their cooperation will depend on how you approach them. People are naturally cautious and don't open up to strangers right away. It is very wise to bring the current owner with you, and to conduct the visit as a social call. The conversation will naturally turn toward the newly purchased house, and inquires about the previous residents will not arouse any suspicions.

The next step will usually be to visit places which may have information on file, that is available to the general public. Local newspapers are of course a primary source, although searching through obituaries and other articles can be incredibly tedious, if the back-issues have not been transcribed to a computer. Often small towns will maintain their files on microfiche, or worse yet, in their original printed form.

A local historical society can be another very useful resource, especially if staffed by an elderly resident of a small community. In the case of major cities, the large number of residents can make research a nightmare, but at least they will be more likely to have the data in a proper searchable electronic form.

The next places that you might check are local churches, schools, and various community organizations or clubs. Perhaps you can find some old records, or someone who may recall one of the individuals you are investigating. The local school may also have a yearbook, with some useful photos. In general, every detail that you can pick up is valuable, and may lead to furthur discoveries.

There are also a few places which may have some important records, but they may not be available to the public. These would include things like police records, census records, and voter registration records. In a small town, some of the police officers or clerks may remember something useful, which you can discover simply through friendly conversation.

Finally, during the course of your investigation, the names of additional related people will undoubtedly turn up. It will be wise to visit the newspapers and the historical society again, to see if those additional names can lead to any furthur discoveries.

Up to this point, our process has been similar to what one might expect of competent and experienced paranormal investigators. Our next step, however (the psychic evaluation) departs to some extent from the realm of science, and begins to deal directly with the metaphysical phenomena as we perceive it.

If you have already spent much time at the affected location, and posses any psychic abilities, you may have sensed some disturbing energies there. If you are not able to do this yourself, then the assistance of a psychic will be required. Finding a good one can be difficult, as not everyone who claims to be psychic is genuine. You may have to interview several candidates, before a suitable person turns up.

Try to minimize the information that you give to the psychic, prior to their visit to the affected location. Also, make sure that you are present when the evaluation is performed, and that there is no interaction between them and the residents of the house. This is to prevent any preconceived ideas or suggestions from influencing their findings.

Information provided by the psychic is often the most valuable clue as to what is occuring in the house. After all, things may have happened there which no one else is aware of, and which are not recorded in any newspaper or police file. Once the psychic evaluation is completed, you should share the full details of the case with the psychic as a courtesy, and because it may also serve to stimulate the recollection of something which they had previously overlooked.

By now, you should have enough information to determine exactly what is causing the problem. To effect a proper resolution, it is my belief that a Priest or Priestess who has the support of the Goddess (by whatever name She may be known) is required. As I mentioned earlier, this article will not discuss the type of action that a Priest or Priestess of our religion may take. Suffice to say that our practice is completely different than what you will usually find in any mainstream religion.

Finally, I'd like to remind my readers that paranormal investigations often involve events which may be deeply disturbing and potentially very dangerous, in many ways. They should never be undertaken for amusement, nor by inexperienced persons. If you become aware of a paranormal situation, I strongly advise you to contact someone who is familiar with such events, and has the ability to properly resolve them.

Bright Blessings,

Priestess Jean