Ghost Hunting 101 with Dave Juliano

The Ghost Hunters Store, Mt. Holly, New Jersey

Mt. Holly, NJ—It was a dark, dreary morning as we hit the road and left our Hudson Valley homes, perfect weather for a full day of ghost investigation tips and techniques. Three hours later, the sun was up behind the misting clouds as we left the hustle and bustle of the New Jersey Turnpike and made our way into the charming village of Mt. Holly, NJ. Streets are lined with a historic prison, quaint restaurants and of course, the Ghost Hunters Store. We and five others gathered in a small back room of the Ghost Hunters Store to get our fill of the paranormal during Dave Juliano’s Ghost Hunting 101 class.

Our professor for the day is as much of an expert in ghost investigation as you can get. Dave Juliano has been seeing spirits since he was 3. They are as common to him as your normal living, breathing human. In fact, he generally doesn’t even know they are deceased until the spirit mysteriously vanishes before his eyes.  His determination to understand what it is that he has experienced developed into a passion for helping others who have encountered the unexplained. He is a seasoned investigator having helped countless people come to terms with what is going on around them. His enthusiasm for the topic is obvious when you meet him.

Starting from the beginning, we first had to understand the different categories of a haunting. A residual haunting is basically a playback of a past event. Often natural items in the environment (such as iron, slate and quartz) will record events just like a video tape. These hauntings will repeat over and over again without deviation and will not interact. Spirits are interactive and are simply deceased humans (or animals.) Nonhuman spirits are demons, angels or occurrences due to the energy of thoughts. And then there are poltergeists. The word poltergeist is a German word literally translated as “noisy ghosts.” Often what is considered a poltergeist is actually a hormonal experience creating telekinesis unbeknownst to the perpetrator.

Protection from negative spirits

After understanding what it was that we would be investigating, we moved on to the equipment needed to capture evidence. EMF meters (including the widely used K II meter) measure the electromagnetic force that an object is emitting. Many man made items put off electromagnetic fields including appliances, electric cords, cell phones and lights. Checking outlets, lighting fixtures and TVs should show a steady EMF reading over 7 milliGauss. But if you find a reading between 2 and 7 milliGauss not associated with anything, you have found something that can not be explained (and therefore potentially a spirit) since there is no reason that there should be random electromagnetic fields.

Recording EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) is probably the second most widely used form of ghost investigation. Recorders are cheap and easy to use. Expensive microphones or recording equipment is not necessary as it has been proven that the entity is recording the data directly to the receiver without going through the microphone. EVP’s can be classified into three categories. Class A is loud and clear, easily interpreted the same by all listeners. Class B is reasonably clear but can be interpreted differently by some listeners. Class C is the lowest class and requires head phones to distinguish voices and is open to individual interpretation. This lowest class of EVP shouldn’t be used as evidence as it has such a wide variation of interpretation.

We also learned how to complete our ghost investigation kit with motion sensors/cameras, flashlights, night vision scopes and infrared cameras. Video and still cameras can show amazing footage of what the naked eye can not see, both in the dark or in the daylight. Working with some of this sensitive equipment can be complicated. You need to learn how to use it correctly.

"I ain't afraid of no ghost."

One of the most interesting parts of the day was when we discussed interpreting the evidence that all the equipment collects. An in depth demonstration on clarifying images of orbs, mists and other photographic anomalies was a great help in learning to decipher what is real from what is simply dust. As digital cameras became commonplace, pictures with orbs has become much more prevalent, but the majority is simply particles in the atmosphere. Learning to see the difference between humidity, dust or bugs and an actual paranormal entity caught on “film” is very important to the investigation process.

Ghost investigating can be dangerous and we highly recommend that anyone interested in learning more about the practice should learn as much as possible and work with someone who knows what they are doing before going out in the field yourself. As Dave mentioned in class, “just because you watch some Bob Villa specials, you aren’t going to run out and put a new roof on your house.” You can easily invite the unknown into this realm and create something very dangerous by doing so. Like the Ouija board, investigating spirits with EVP can create a doorway and invite unwanted entities into this world. If you are new to ghost hunting, we highly recommend that you take a class to learn how to ask the right questions, safely.

With the growth in popularity of shows in the likes of Ghost Hunters and Extreme Paranormal, it is important that you know what you are getting yourself  into if you choose to set forth on a ghost investigation.  Not everything you see on TV is true. Networks shoot for high ratings.  You may go on many investigations and never experience a thing.  Ghost Investigation can be fun and dangerous. Educate yourself before you venture into the unknown and stay safe. Ghost Hunting 101 is great course to get you started. We highly recommend it.