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Christina Corsetti manages and writes "Haunted Salem's" web page and blog. She's the ultimate paranormal historian and finds out more about hauntings than one could imagine. Recently, she posted this great blog about "Signs of a Haunting." This outline really provides you with a great understanding of hauntings and things associated with ghostly activity. You should also check out her page at: https://www.facebook.com/hauntedsalem - Rob
THE SIGNS OF A HAUNTING
by Christina Corsetti, Haunted Salem
The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you
truly have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are
alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings
feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut
that occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different
phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.
Here’s a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunted:
Unexplained noises- footsteps; knocks, banging, rapping;
scratching sounds; sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these
noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud.
Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing- most often, these
phenomena are not seen directly. The experiencer either hears the
distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing (homeowners get to know
quite well the distinctive sounds their houses make) or the experiencer
will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are
certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture,
like kitchen chairs, are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will
the experiencer actually witness the phenomenon taking place.
Lights turning off and on- likewise, these events are seldom seen
actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the
experiencer knows they were not left that way. This can also happen with
TVs, radios and other electrically powered items.
Items
disappearing and reappearing- Lets say, your set of car keys - which you
believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they’re gone
and you look high and low for them with no success. Some time later,
the keys are found - in exactly the place you normally put them. It’s as
if the object was borrowed by someone or something for a short time,
then returned. Sometimes they are not returned for days or even weeks,
but when they are, it’s in an obvious place that could not have been
missed by even a casual search.
Unexplained shadows- the
sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, usually seen out of the corner
of the eye. This phenomenon has also been discussed in some detail in
Shadow People. Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while
other times they are less distinguishable or smaller.
https://www.facebook.com/hauntedsalem a dog, cat or other pet behaves strangely. Dogs
may bark at something unseen, cower without apparent reason or refuse
to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be “watching”
something cross a room. Animals have sharper senses than humans, and
many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely
tuned also.
Feelings of being watched- this is not an
uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many things, but it could have
a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular
part of the house at a particular time.
(Rob's NOTE: high electromagnetic fields, such as those generated from a fuse box or electrical wiring can cause the same feelings).
STRONGER EVIDENCE
The following phenomena are more rare, but could be stronger evidence of a haunting:
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Mild psychokinetic phenomena - hearing a door open or close is
one thing. Actually seeing it happen is quite another. Similarly,
actually seeing a light go on or off by itself is greater proof that
something unexplained is happening. Do you see the TV or radio turn on?
Or perhaps you’re present when a child’s powered toy begins to operate
on its own. Doors and windows are locked or unlocked. Some people report
that when they are in bed they can feel and/or hear something sitting
on the bed.
Feelings of being touched - the feeling of
being watched is one thing, and actually feeling like you are being
touched is quite another. Some people feel something brush past them,
something touching their hair or “a hand” on the shoulder. Some feel a
gentle poke, push or nudge.
Cries and whispers - on
occasion, muffled voices, whispering and crying can be heard. Sometimes
it’s music from some unknown source. People hear their names being said.
This phenomenon, as is true for the one above, gains more credibility
if more than one person hears or sees the same thing at the same time.
Cold or hot spots - cold spots are classic haunting symptoms,
but any instance of a noticeable variance in temperature without a
discernable cause could be evidence.
Unexplained smells -
the distinct fragrance of a perfume or cologne that you do not have in
your house. This phenomenon comes and goes without any apparent cause
and may accompany other phenomena, such as shadows, voices or
psychokinetic phenomena. Foul odors can happen in the same way.
Rarer still are more extreme phenomena, some of which have been
called poltergeist phenomena, and can be quite strong evidence of a true
haunting:
Moving or levitating objects (severe
psychokinetic phenomena) - dinner plates sliding across the table;
pictures flying off walls; doors slamming shut with great force;
furniture sliding across the floor.
Physical assault -
scratches, slaps and hard shoves. This kind of personal assault is
extremely rare, but obviously highly disturbing.
Other physical evidence - unexplained writing on paper or walls; handprints and footprints.
Apparitions - physical manifestation of a spirit or entity.
These phenomena are also very rare and can take many forms: human-shaped
mists or forming mists of some indistinguishable shape; transparent
human forms that disappear quickly; and most rarely, human forms that
look as real and solid as any living person, but that disappear into a
room or even while being viewed.
Recently I received the following question from Lisa and
thought I would share the answer with you as you likely have the same (or
similar questions)
*LOOKING FOR MORE ANSWERS?* For answers about many questions you may have about ghosts, spirits or the afterlife, check out my book "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead." I wrote the book to answer all questions on the paranormal, and used personal experiences or shared stories to convey answers to questions and provide proof. 
