Joining a group for investigating ghosts can be an amazing experience and also a great way to meet others who share your passion for the paranormal. But you may want to ask yourself and the group questions before you decide to join head first. Sometimes the groups you meet may not mesh with your own internal beliefs. Below is a list of some of the questions you may want to ask before joining the group.
I am writing this as a guide because I recently joined a group that I really did not like. I listened to my instincts, and basically got out in the nick of time so to speak. Every group has drama, but if you ask these questions to yourself you may have a better chance of finding the group that is right for you.
Most of the time the group will interview candidates to join the group. And just like a job interview, they will ask questions to find out if you are a match. But you as the candidate should also have your own list of questions that will help you decide if this is the group for you.
1. Where does this group see itself in five years?
For example, if they mention getting publicity or hopes of a television show, this might not be the right group.
2. What are some of the beliefs of this group? Open questions, such as belief in orbs, provocation, scientific approach etc.
3. What are the main objectives while investigating (start to finish)? Again, this is an open ended question, but I will give an example of why this is so important. A group that I joined followed the scientific method approach to investigation. However, I felt the investigations were incomplete as we were not allowed to provide any spiritual guidance as far as getting rid of the entity. We were not allowed to even provide lists to the clients of clergy or people of spiritual nature to assist in the paranormal disturbances. Again, this is my own opinion, but to me ghosts and spirits do not fit or follow the scientific method, and you CANNOT forget about the spiritual aspect of the paranormal.
4. How far are you willing to go to get a reaction out of a spirit? This is an important question as well. As I mentioned before, I do not think one can forget about the spiritual side of the paranormal. Some groups are willing (and willingly stupid in my opinion) to put people in harms way to get a reaction. If their form of provocation involves hurting another group member such as asking a spirit to hit someone, you may want to reconsider joining a group like this. The group that I joined apparently thought nothing of asking a pregnant woman to provoke in a highly probable demonic haunt. This is not cool, because we are talking about a demonic haunting. We are also talking about an unborn child and the spiritual harm it could cause for you and the baby. Please, if you find that you are in a group that does not care about the safety of their members it is time to leave.
5. What is the process of screening applicants? Unfortunately, you cannot trust everyone who joins the group. It is imperative that any type of social group screens the applicants. And with the paranormal, you may get people who are interested in the group who are not mentally stable. It is very important that you screen members as best as you can before you allow them to join the group. I am sure that some seasoned investigators may disagree with me on this one but this is an important question to ask. In the world of investigating you will share beds, cars, and hotel rooms. You want to make absolutely sure that you have weeded out potentially untrustworthy people in the application process. Most states have an excellent court log data base that you can search by name. We would love to trust everyone who joins, but the truth is you just can't in this society. Also, to me it is imperative spiritually that the people you investigate with are emotionally and psychically stable because this could present a playground for demonic or mischievous entities.
6. How often does the group meet? How much time does this group require? This is important because some groups meet weekly others monthly. How much time are you willing to devote? You need to ask yourself these important questions. Some groups go above and beyond just normal investigating such as fundraisers, and other events that might require time on the weekends. You need to make sure that you can commit to the group. Everyone has limitations on how much time they can give to an outside activities during the week. Make sure the group is understanding. If you cannot make it to the meetings, let them know in advance, but find out what the schedule is in advance before you commit to the group.
These are some of the questions I have thought of (after the fact) and if there are more out there please share this with the group. I also want to let you know, if you joined a group your not happy with there are other options. Make your own group or join another. It is highly common for people to start their own groups if they were unhappy with the one they have joined. I probably will have a part 2 of this depending upon the responses that I get. But for now these are my top questions. And also, if a group asks you to sign papers do not be afraid to go over it with an attorney.
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