What’s New with OKPRI?

This month we have several investigation updates to bring you.  First off, was our investigation of Fort Washita, near Durant, Oklahoma.  This investigation occurred earlier in the summer, and now that the evidence has been reviewed, we can bring a sample of the results to our newsletter.

This location yielded some very interesting results in many forms, including photos, audio, and personal feelings and experiences.  Some of our experiences actually matched up with the accounts that had been told to us by workers at the fort, as well as many visitors over the years.  The sound of horses galloping and human footsteps have been reported for decades, and this was also experienced by our team early in our investigation.  Strange shadows, mists in photos, and EVP of what sounded like the same male voice in two different locations seemed to back up the feeling several members had of being followed.  Here are a couple of photographs from that evening:

Clockwise from top, Jim Hilton, Danae Rhodes, Brian Willis, Christy Selfridge, JT Daquin, Dana Biggs, and Kristen Perkins participate in an OKPRI group photo before the beginning of the investigation

This photo of a red mist was captured during the investigation of Fort Washita.  This picture was taken at the same time that shadows were being witnessed.  An EVP was also captured at this time.

Another investigation recently was another joint effort with The Native American Ghost Society (NAGS).  This investigation produced at least one exciting happening, which will be discussed when all evidence has been reviewed. 

Finally, we conducted an investigation of several locations in Bristow, Oklahoma.  The evidence on these locations is also under review, but we have already been studying one photo to determine the possibility of a figure that was captured.  No definite determination has been made, but look for updates on all of these investigations in future editions of the Ghost Gazette.

Reader’s Realm

This month’s question was sent to us from Brandon in Moore, Oklahoma.  Our response was written by our founder, Christy Selfridge.  He asks:

“I was just wondering once a spirit crosses over, can they ever come back, or is it when

 they reach that plane they no longer have the ability to be seen or heard again?

 Just curious?”

Brandon

---------------------------------------------------------------

Brandon,

I think spirits most definitely can come back, Brandon.  I feel that once they have crossed and are transcended, they can come back at any time they choose to visit.  I feel that they only thing that really keeps them here to begin with (Earthbound) is the fact that they have their own personal reasons.

I also feel like if you are missing one of your relatives or friends that have crossed, you can call them and they can come to you.  You may not be able to hear them or see them, but they usually come when you call them. A good way to tell is to pay attention to your feelings after you call them and start talking with them.  You might find yourself with an overwhelming sense of peace, etc.

 Once again, thank you for your wonderful questions.  Keep them coming!

Upcoming OKPRI Events

We have some exciting investigations in the works for the remainder of 2006.  Some of these sites are historical locations out of state, including Texas and Louisiana.  We are also getting ready to celebrate Halloween in a big way at one of our favorite locations!  As always, however, we have to keep details on our investigations under wraps until they are conducted.  As for our Halloween event, that information will be made available ahead of time, and full details will be posted on our message board, and will also be in the October edition of the Ghost Gazette.

Paranormal Articles, News & Weird Facts

Give Me Some Proof - Part 2
Recording their Voices

Written By: Grant Wilson  

Some of the creepiest evidence of paranormal activity is EVP's or "Electronic Voice Phenomena". This is the mysterious and often disturbing act of capturing the voices of spirits on an audio tape.

Much like photos of the paranormal, there are hundreds of examples of EVP's to scrutinize. They range from unrecognizable groans and mumbles to three hour long conversations.

Many scientists have studied this phenomenon and have not been able to explain it. I can't explain it other than this is yet another way for spirits to communicate with us. Frankly, I don't care how it works, I just know that it does and here is not only how to do it, but how to remain credible at the same time.

How do you do it?

Set down your recorder and relax. Settle down into your chair and get comfortable. Clear your mind and just sit still for a few minutes. You can say some sort of prayer if you feel like it, but it doesn't seem to affect the outcome at all.

Turn on some kind of background noise. Keep it pretty low, you don't want it to overpower the recording. Some suggestions are white noise (you know that fuzz you get when there's nothing on the TV or a particular radio station.), running water or even a vacuum cleaner. Anything that will give you a steady stream of jumble.

This may sound weird but the spirits have a hard time creating any sound that makes sense. This is why people usually hear moans or groans. This takes a lot of energy to do. The background noise allows them to piece together sounds from the static to more easily form words. Plus, the recorders are more sensitive than our ears. So, essentially, we are making it easier for them to talk.

Ok, now that you're comfortable and you've got some noise going, you can either just sit there, you can leave and see what turns up later or, you can start asking questions. Be sure to ask simple straight forward questions such as, "What is your name?” And don't forget to leave a long pause between questions so that the spirit has time to answer. Give them about three times as long as you would give a living person to answer.

When you're done with the recording, politely thank the spirit if you want to, once again this has no effect on the outcome of the recording. Then you can go home and listen to it.

How do you remain credible?

Just doing a few simple things can save you a lot of grief when trying to prove your recording.

Unplug anything you don't need to do the EVP. Almost everything that can be plugged in will make noise that will turn up on your tape, possibly fooling you into believing it is a ghost.

WHILE THE TAPE IS RECORDING, do the following:

When you first get to where you want to record, make every sound possible that could be mistaken for a spirit. Cough, breathe, scoot around, etc.

Next, have someone go into all of the surrounding rooms and talk at various volumes. Also, have them bang on the walls etc.

Announce that you are done with your comparative noises and begin your EVP.

Some general rules to follow when creating an EVP:

Don't use a crappy little recorder.
Try to use something better. This isn't always possible. Even a portable stereo has better recording capabilities than a walkman sized unit.

Use an external microphone.
Any unit, no matter how nice it is, will put off some kind of internal sound that will be picked up by the microphone. Steer clear of using the microphone that is mounted on the actual unit or you'll pick up the gears inside the unit that are moving the tape. This kind of interference makes it VERY difficult to make out the voices.

Spend the extra two bucks and buy some high-quality tapes.
Remember, this is what holds the valuable recordings. The better the tape, the clearer the sound.

Don't whisper.
When you talk or ask questions speak loudly and clearly. Don't speak directly into the microphone because when you play back the tape you'll most likely have the volume cranked up so that you can hear every little sound. If you come cranking over the speaker at 50,000 decibels, your chances of ever hearing anything else again are slim.

Ask simple questions.
Don't ask "How often did you think about going to your mother's house and if it was often which days did you not do it?"

Use some background noise.
Running water, white noise, vacuum cleaner... just make sure it doesn't dominate the recording. Remember, it's called BACKGROUND noise.
.
Get comfortable.
The less noise YOU make the better.

Respect the dead.
Be courteous to the spirits. Thank them for their help and try to help them once you've heard what they have to say.

Most of all, try and do it where there is spiritual activity, this will always increase your odds. Good luck and happy hunting!

Grant Wilson is the co-founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), as well as a main star of the Sci-Fi channel hit show Ghosthunters.  To read more articles from Grant and other TAPS associates, please visit http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/articleshome.html

The Truth Behind Orbs

By: Christy Selfridge

The subject of orbs has been a long debated one. OKPRI has had many pictures sent to us asking our opinion, which in turn, sparked the reason for this article. There are some people who consider all orbs as "positive data" and those who don't consider them "data" at all. So what's the truth behind orbs? This was our question, especially when orbs seemed to appear more readily in photos than any other type of unexplained photo phenomenon.

When our group first started investigating, we were thrilled when our photos revealed multiple orbs, but it soon caused the question to arise of "Why is there so many or so few in each photo?" Then we heard about dust particles, pollen and other small particles that reflected off of the flash creating the “appearance” of an orb. We began conducting our own experiments to try to recreate the orbs that we were photographing.
We found that if you dust off a shelf or other item and take a photo, multiple orbs would appear in the photo. The same applies for walking through grass or other locations where small particle contaminates reflect off the camera's flash in front of the lens and appear as orbs.

In the past, we learned that if dust, pollen or small particles are within 6 inches of the camera's lens, “orbs” will appear. We conducted several experiments with this “Orb Phenomenon” to put these theories to the test. Orbs can be easily recreated thus the reason why so many paranormal investigators & researchers do not like “orbs” in general.

Our group then again, changed our outlook on orbs and began looking at different things associated with orbs & photography. Since it is difficult to put a shield on a photographic camera to keep dust, particles, etc. 6 inches away from the lens, we started looking for different ways to analyze our photos. We wanted ways that would be more credible so it would not make the orb so easily dismissed or debated. We started looking for movement & shapes with the orbs and also looked at the direction the orbs were moving in. We too also took into consideration the 2 photo rule which requires the photographer to take at least 2 photos of the same area (one right after the other) in order to eliminate any questionable photographic anomalies. By doing this, you can actually use both photos to compare against each other to see if these are any so called “anomalies” that are stationary. With this method, you can also see if the anomaly, in this case, “orbs” has movement, etc. We have found that this method has helped to eliminate photos that normally we would have considered as possible credible positive data.

 

As most of you all know, my name is Christy and I am Founder/Director of OKPRI.  When I was asked to do the Member’s Spotlight column for this month, I was really unsure of what I would talk about, however I sat down and just started writing.  One of the first things that came to mind for me was a subject I call, “Spiritual –vs- Physical.” 

I guess you could say that this subject hits home to me for various different reasons.  One of the things that I get asked the most from a lot of new investigators and or people dabbling in the field is, “How do I protect myself from unwanted ghosts?” and/or, “How do I get rid of a ghost that’s bothering me?”

These are very good questions and I will first tell you all a little experience that happened to me years ago which opened up my eyes to many things, especially spiritual protection while in the field.

Back in 2000, I was conducting regular research at a location that I won’t mention here; however, this location seemed to be very active and seemed to have a variety of different spirits present.  It was during this time that I was learning how to control and use the “spiritual gifts” that I possessed and so I wasn’t sure just how to use them or to protect myself from unwanted spirits.  Like most cases, you have the good with the bad and at that time, I seemed to be very receptive to both sides, which turned out to be a very bad thing!  I found that when I opened myself up to “sense” the things around me, I was flooded with all sorts of different energies and messages from spirit…yes, good ones and bad ones.  While I was happy to be getting spirit message, I still lacked one important thing, knowledge and a strong understanding of how spirit worked. 

It was one particular night that I learned the lesson in full about spiritual protection.  I had accidentally encountered a young woman named Pamela which would forever change my life from that point forward.  We were on one of the upper floors of this building which had hallways that were about 10 feet wide.  I was standing about 3 feet away from one of the walls when a photograph was taken by another member of the team.  It was during that quick flash that I saw this young woman charging out of the wall at me and ended up getting right in my face.  This scared the living crap out of me as you can imagine so I jumped back up against the wall.  It was a good thing the wall was made of concrete or I think I would have put a hole in it.

One of the reasons this woman scared me so bad was because she looked much like the possessed child in the old movie, “The Exorcist.”  Believe you me that for the rest of the investigation, I was watching my back and around corners, making sure that I would not encounter this nasty spirit again!

I found however that from that point forward, I was plagued by this spirit’s presence.  She not only would confront me there, but also at my home and other places that I investigated.  She had a bad habit of twisting and contorting her body parts in such a way that she would look disfigured and horrifying.  She would also snarl and growl at me and would try to present herself in ways which would frighten me. 

There for a long while I decided to shut down my gifts and not try to “see” or “hear” anything else because every time that I tried, she would be there in the most horrifying ways.  I guess the easiest way for me to describe how she would try to “creep in” would be to compare it with a door; I would open the door (my gifts) a little bit to see if the coast was clear and I would see nothing and think that it was safe.  Then when I would fully open the door, bam, there she would be again up close and personal in my face!  It was at that point that I decided to close off all doors to the spiritual world and not open up at all because I just couldn’t deal with this woman.

After dealing with this nasty spirit for about 1 month in a sense that I would consider psychic and mental torture, I consulted a couple of friends of mine who were well versed in the spiritual realm.  They too were “seers” and told me that I should try to talk to her to see what she wanted.  I tried this one night at the same research location and gained a bit more information from her, but none that could help me rid myself of her.  I learned that her name was Pamela; she was 19 and 7 months pregnant.  One day she had some sort of complications and ended up going into a hospital where she blacked out and never woke up again.  I wasn’t able to get anymore information out of her because she just remained nasty in her encounters with me. 

Another 2 ½ months past with the same torture from her and so I sought out the help of my friends again.  One of my friends visited my home and also encountered Pamela and verified her appearance and demeanor.  It was then at this point that my 2 friends began teaching me about spiritual protection. Finally after a total of 3 ½ months, I was able to rid myself of this nasty spirit.

When I mentioned earlier about getting asked about how someone can rid themselves of an unwanted ghosts etc, I was thinking about one email in particular that I received once.  Here are a few bits and pieces of that email so you can better understand the points that I am making.

“Last night, my friend and I went to some cemeteries to look around, take pictures and possibly record some EVP.  We did hear some noises like possible footsteps or someone walking in brush from the west end of the cemetery behind the fence. And also some whistling and I thought I heard someone whisper "Bitch" at me.

My friend calls my attention to a particular gravestone she feels drawn towards. I shine the light on it for her and look elsewhere at the moon or towards the woods behind me. All of a sudden she grabs my arm and yells, "We have to leave right now, we have to LEAVE." This scared me in itself as she is not the type to spook easy, in fact the opposite holds true. Right after she said this I knew why. Immediately I was overcome with a feeling like something very warm was in my head and torso. Like something going through me. She's running away and I yell at her, "Quit running, stop running!"  As I was saying this was during the 3 seconds I felt the "warmth" in me. It felt as if I had to really struggle to yell at her and get my words out. I ran up to her and she grabbed onto me and we walked, not ran, back to our car, all the while making sure to close the gates to be respectful even though I was just as scared as her! I felt I had to show this "spirit" that we would not be run off though we would leave quickly in peace.

She said it felt like something was in her. That's when she yelled at me. On our walk back she said she felt like someone was following us all the way to the car.  My question to you is: from your seasoned experience, what the hell happened? Right after we mentioned that we came in peace this incident occurred. Also, how do we rid ourselves of any possibly lingering spirits? We are afraid of this. I don't know, maybe a psychic would know or be able to help.

We both realized last night that it's pretty stupid of us to go stomping in cemeteries looking to make contact with spirits. We are both new to this and naive. We are also two 20 something girls by ourselves, because none of our other friends will ever come with us or take it seriously. We decided last night before we venture out again that I would contact an ACTUAL investigative team for advice on how to proceed or just beginners tips.”

So from my own personal experiences and from those which have been sent in to me, I can honestly say that if you don’t know what you’re doing in this field then seek out the help and advice of someone who does.  Don’t think that you can just go out into this field and do this alone without first doing the research to gain knowledge of what you are up against.  The spiritual realm can go very deep and there are many forces out there that are stronger than what most actually realize.  An investigator’s greatest tool against negative spirits is personal protection because you just never know when you might be spiritually attacked or overcome.

Another factor and suggestion that I would recommend would be that if anyone decides to do an investigation, they need to make sure that they have a positive attitude going and that they are not in a state which  would produce any sort of negativity which would draw negative spirits to them.  If you are having any sort of emotional troubles or issues in your life that would not allow you to fully concentrate on the investigation and/or let any nasty spirit trouble you, then don’t go because you could be asking for trouble in the long run, especially if you were to get a nasty spirit attachment.

So be very careful if you should decide to venture out into the paranormal field.  An old saying that I have heard and one that I think remains true is, “When in doubt, don’t do it!” 

Hello all of you out there in Paranormaland!  Once again this is J.T. The Troll with another edition of The Paranormal Craze!  Well, August was another busy month for all of us at OKPRI.  We did several more big investigations that we will hopefully have documentaries on in the very near future.  What I would like to talk about this month is the many personalities that make up a paranormal group.  In most cases, it can be very difficult to work with people who are so different, but working in a paranormal group I believe it actually helps out a lot.

What some groups don't agree with but I think is very important is to have skeptics in your group.  It's good to have someone that can keep you "grounded" on an investigation and during evidence review.  I believe if you have a whole group of people who all want to believe that sometimes it could lead to group paranoia. As long as the skeptic has an open mind I think it would definitely help.

Another kind of person in a paranormal group is called a "sensitive".  A sensitive is basically someone who can feel the presence of a spirit when they are around.  Sometimes they can actually hear them speaking as well. A sensitive is very helpful when investigating because they can help you link the spirit you are seeing or hearing.  If you do encounter someone, they may be able to get a name of the spirit or ask them why they are haunting that particular place.  Good old fashioned research is very helpful in finding those things as well.  I feel a sensitive is very important but it is always better to have evidence of what they say if possible.

Another thing I believe is that a team is only as good as their equipment they have and their equipment technician.  The equipment tech is vital to make sure everything runs smoothly during an investigation.  There is nothing worse than to actually encounter a spirit and not have your equipment working properly to gather that evidence.  Sometimes equipment techs are not given the credit they deserve but they are necessary if you want a hassle free investigation.

Last but not least, there is the plain old Investigator.  A paranormal Investigator gets to do all the fun and dirty work.  They get to do research and history on the places you are investigating.  Not to mention, they are usually the first ones in the firing line taking pictures or capturing audio when you do encounter something paranormal.  A paranormal investigator is something that should be taken very seriously.  Investigators are the most important part of the group.  Without the investigators, all the sensitives, skeptics, and equipment techs would do you no good.  I believe if you start a group you need to find strong investigators before worrying about any other position.  They truly are the heart and soul of your whole operation.

Well, that was just a glimpse of some of the various types of people who usually are involved in a paranormal group.  Be sure and check out http://www.okpri.com  for all the latest news and events that are up-coming. Also, don't forget to check out our latest additions to the website which will include a blooper reel section and a link that allows you to view our past months newsletters.  Well, that wraps up our latest edition of The Paranormal Craze.  I'm J.T. The Troll saying thanks for joining me again this month and remember keep your eyes and ears open cause you never know what's gonna go bump in the night!!!

 If you would like to reply to this column, you can e-mail J.T. at jt@okpri.com.

Hello and welcome to another edition of OKPRI’s Ghost Gazette! 

I have really enjoyed getting in emails in from several of you all who have given compliments on our monthly newsletter.  It is always nice to have the feedback from you all about it in regards to your opinion about what material we put in our newsletter, etc.  Most of you all have stated that you find them very informative and enjoyable.  We wish to send out sincere thanks for all of you who do take the time to read our newsletter and send us your feedback!

As of September 5^th, I have updated our website once again and think that you will find this month’s update a bit special.  I have added 2 new investigations, one is called, Cemetery of the Damned and the other is Historical Ft. Washita.  Both investigations yielded some very neat evidence and we are so glad to be able to share them with you now.  I have also added a special treat to all of you out there who enjoy a good laugh!  Since we are usually on investigations for hours at a time, we have so much video footage to go through and sometimes we have moments where we are accidentally caught on film during an embarrassing moment.  We decided not to let those moments go to waste so we have established a web page for you called, “OKPRI’s Blooper Reels” in which you can watch these video clips and laugh along with us.  Please bear in mind that OKPRI does remain serious and professional while on investigations, however, there are moments when we have a relaxed time and the camera’s eye catches those moments!  So for a few good laughs, make sure you check out this page and watch for more Blooper Reel moments coming soon as more video is recorded!  If you like the new Blooper Reel Page, let us know by dropping me a line at:  Christy@okpri.com  and give me your thoughts!

September and October are busy months for us and we have some exciting things going on for us during these times.  Of course with October comes Halloween so what do you have planned for Halloween?  We have a special treat taking place and plan to send a special invite out to each and every one of you all to join us for a new public event coming soon!!!  Watch for details on this event coming with our next site update and in the October edition of the Ghost Gazette!!!!

Again thanks to all of you who read our monthly newsletters and we hope that you will continue to keep up with them and the work that we do here at OKPRI as we continue to bring you all the latest investigations and updates going on with our group!  Until next month…..take care and happy hunting!!!

Sincerely,

Christy Selfridge

Founder/Director of OKPRI