Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Putting The Paranormal In Perspective

In recent times, I have noticed more paranormal researchers stepping back from their work, taking stock, and reassessing what it is they want to gain from their endeavors.

Across the board, there appears to be an abandonment of the dogma that has for so long held down their research and, in many cases, a cessation to the work itself. Many are now refocusing their energies on family, career, and personal growth. Gone are the angry diatribes that harangued readers about government cover-ups or the lamentations on proper paranormal protocol.

The first I noticed step aside was Blogsquatcher who wrote thoughtfully about Bigfoot, etc… However, prior to his departure, he posited increasingly fantastic explanations for crypto phenomena. It seemed a harbinger of things to come, of his own dissatisfaction with the answers at hand. Others in recent times followed similar paths. The infamous Ghost Divas broke up due, in large part, to conflicts over the didactic nature of paranormal research—a dictate that says: we’ve got the answers, follow the plan. Now I’ve seen rumblings from Paul Kimball as well as the UFOiconoclast(s) that speak of the same dissatisfaction and need for perspective.

More and more, I see researchers who are crawling forth from the morass of stagnant thought and seeking to embrace the unknown. I think I can count myself among these. In all honesty, I don't think we're going to find many answers--at least not by the methods most are choosing to employ.

I think maybe it is time to put down the EMF detectors and get back to using our eyes, but more importantly to enjoying ourselves, our families, and our interests. In my research as a writer of paranormal mysteries, I have often conducted my own investigations. I tried all the tricks--lots of them, at least. And I've read all the research (both of merit and of disgrace) without once feeling as if someone had really broken through. I think if there is a scientific explanation, it may involve a quantum leap forward in our understanding of the universe(s) around us. We're not there yet. So, I'm not surprised that so many have decided to say, "You know what? It's not worth all this trouble."

On my last few ghost hunts, I did just that. I hunted ghosts. I gave myself over to the experience. And, frankly, I enjoyed myself. For the first time in a while, I enjoyed the adventure. I'm not saying throw science out. No, I still firmly believe we need solid scientific work to understand these phenomena. Nor would I ever advance that what I had been doing was anything more than thrill-seeking. I'm just saying that I don't think any of the old ways are working, that any of the old ideas are germane, and that we are any closer to understanding these mysteries than we were at the dawn of the 20th Century.

There are a great many problems in our world that could use the same concerted effort so many have put into fruitless pursuits. So, I say let us pursue all that goes bump in the night, keep our eyes open and learn what we can, but remember to keep some perspective about it all. Who knows, you may just find yourself falling in love with it all over again.

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