Texas Paranormal Advanced Research Team

There is a lot of information out today.  We highly recommend researching paranormal topics of interest thoroughly or asking an expert in the field.  The reason for this is that, while mostly well meaning, much of the advice given on line can actually be misleading and sometimes cause you more harm than good.  An example is of someone who thinks that they have a ghost.  After doing research, they begin to believe that they have a demon that is knocking on their door.  Now they are terrified and everything that bumps is paranormal.  You can't make good, rational determinations if you are scared silly.  If you believe that you have something paranormal happening, stay calm!!  Think calmly and logically and if you are unable to do that, go away for a weekend or stay with a friend to clear your head.  Look for the logical answers first.  Do you really have a demon or is something unexplained causing the knocking?  Next lets think about what could be causing that unexplained something.  Do you keep your doors in good repair or maybe you forgot to repair that loose hinge on the screen door.  Is it windy out when you hear the noises; are there trees close your home?

These are all important steps to take yourself through when something unexplained happens.  Next, if you cannot find a logical explanation and you are certain you have paranormal phenomenon- do you know that the different types of paranormal activities and their qualifications?

 A haunting is the act of a person or thing that haunts-

Haunt: To inhabit, visit, or appear to in the form of a ghost or other supernatural being.

While, in truth, it is unknown what causes a haunting, there are many "causes" to hauntings believed by many investigators.

The unfinished business theory:  A "ghost" has unfinished business with this world and that it remains until such business it finished or satisfied.  This assumes that the spirit has the choice of staying on after death or moving on.

Another belief or theory is that the spirit of a friend or relative returns to earth as a guardian spirit sent by God.

The next belief is that the deceased merely doesn't realize that it is dead and is proceeding with life as usual. Further, once this being realizes that it is truly dead, it becomes angry, frustrated, scared or all the above and  creates havoc for the living.

The last theory is that demons and angels pose as our loved ones to corrupt or help us.

Natural causes often explain many alleged hauntings.

• Gas Leaks
• Mental instability
• Certain stressors in the course of life (i.e. puberty, menopause, death of someone close, etc.)
• The minds natural need to clarify something not recognised naturally through matrixing.
• Old Paint
• Mold
• High EMF
• Mind altering drugs

  According to a 2007 lecture provided by Brian Harnois (then of TAPS)there are 5 different types of classifications of hauntings. These often help identify the type of entity and extent of the haunting. These classifications are the most commonly used by paranormal investigators.

Type One-

The Residual Haunting:

This is a very common form of haunting.

The residual haunting involves no form of interaction at all. It is like a record of series of past events that is played over and over again. In some cases the residual haunt has a set day and time. Some may be random acts but either way the spirit can't respond or interact. We believe that this occurs because an imprint of the acts repeated was caused by a natural occurrence in a persons life at some point in time.  Examples of this kind of this haunting are spirits that perform a tragic death scene on the anniversary of the actual death each year or the footsteps heard on the staircase heard every night at a certain time when the spirit might have climbed them as part of a nightly bedtime routine. 

A residual haunting while disturbing at first is the least problematic to the investigator and client because of the lack of interaction or ability to interact with the living. It is merely a memory and has never proven harmful.

You may have a residual haunting if:

• The paranormal activity is noticed only at certain days or times; and 
• If the spirit is unable to communicate or unresponsive/unable to interact.

 Type Two-

The Intelligent Haunt:

An intelligent haunting is a haunting in which spirit can and often does interact and communicate with the client and or investigators by various means. These sorts of hauntings actually occur fairly frequently but not as often as the residual.

You may have an intelligent haunting if:

• the spirit is responsive and interactive;
• objects are being moved;  and  
• there are acts of paranormal activity in response to something said or done by the client or investigator.

The Poltergeist:

In this rare form of haunting, the paranormal activity is loud, disruptive, frightening and had to not notice.  The theory behind a poltergeist haunting is that it is a human based haunting.  In plain words- the only reason it occurs is because of an association with a human. While these cases have occurred in association with an adult, for whatever reason, in most cases the individual associated with this type of haunt is a child.  It is unknown whether it is a spirit that causes the problems or whether it is something in the nature of the human that causes it.

This particular haunting can be disruptive and normal everyday life may become difficult if not impossible.

• Movement and throwing of objects;
• Objects that disappear and reappear in a new location;
• The opening, closing and slamming of doors, windows, cupboards with no apparent source;
• The appearance of pools of water on floors, the malfunctioning of electrical equipment, telephone ringing, doorbell ringing, pennies dropping from out of nowhere, the unexplained appearance of objects, apparitions and even physical injury;
• Noises such as voices, moans, screams, explosions, crashes, bangs, scratches and knocks on floors, doors and walls, heavy footsteps, bed-shaking;
• The breaking of household objects such as glass and favored objects;
• The destruction of garments, the throwing of stones, rocks and dirt, bad smells, mysterious fires.

For all purposes, most create a non-human classification at this point. We do not disagree with this. For the purpose of explanation, we have broken down the non-human classifications a step further.  According to most researchers the non-human categories include:

Angels

Demons

Deities

For clarification we will explain as follows:

Type Four-

Demonic

Demons are the final classification of haunting that we may encounter in the "Non-Human" category. Though demon encounters are extremely rare investigators sometimes have to deal with demonic hauntings. These are never easy to deal with. These are malicious and violent and pose just as much danger to the client as they do us.  Care and proper assistance to the investigating group are needed. These hauntings may require the help of religious personnel and/or other trained demonologists. Do not provoke or invoke demons and certainly never invite.

Demonic Characteristics:

• Violent attacks by mostly unseen attackers.
• Spirits that pose as friends, loved ones or other human spirits to gain the trust of the living.
• Sudden changes in the attitude of the clients and or their children.
• Bruises, scratches and/or bite marks on the body(s) of the those involved or that live or work in the home or business.

Type Five-

Elements

This category covers the many other possible types of spirits or causes of what might be perceived as hauntings. These creatures are believed to be tied with nature and thus part of the elements.  Some are said to be harmless while others are mischievous and blamed for lost objects and bad luck.

Elements can include those creatures attributed to nature such as gremlins, leprechauns, pixies or fairies.   While our group has never encountered such creatures and cannot vouch for their existence, we have, on many occasions, seen and felt things that opened out minds to possibilities beyond our own human sight and beyond this world. If paranormal activity exists-or we believe that it does- what else might be waiting for us just beyond our reach.

It is important to remember these tips when you think that you may be dealing with the "paranormal":

1. 80% and higher of hauntings are actually explainable events with natural causes;

2. Stay calm and look for logical explanations such as loose hinges or windows;

3. Rule out any possible natural causes such as mold, high EMF, medication reactions, etc.

4. Know what you may be dealing with never go on feelings alone;

5. Never provoke;

6. Seek professional advice and help;

7. In situations involving children--be the adult.  Don't dismiss claims as imagination but investigate them, logically, quietly and calmly. Try to keep the situation as normal as possible. Most children do go through phases of "invisible"friends and talking to their stuffed animals but it is important to show your child that they can trust you and tell you if something beyond normal happens.  You never know when there may be more to little Johnny's closet monster than you think!

Please feel free to email us with your questions.  We can't always promise that we will have the answers but we can certainly help  you find someone who does.