How to See Ghosts (for Paranormal Investigators)

For amateur ghost hunters, the number one experience to have is to see a ghost themselves. Anyone can look up popular haunting footage online, but setting your eyes on a ghostly apparition in person is on an extraordinarily different level of excitement. Read on to learn some important tips on how to see ghosts.

When figuring out how to see ghosts, having the right preparation is essential. Carefully plan your ghost hunting adventure and be prepared for anything the paranormal world may throw at you, and you’ll have the best chance of catching the attention of a ghost. 

How to See Ghosts and Spirits

Since every haunting and every paranormal experience is unique, there is no sure-fire way to see a ghost every time you go searching. Instead, stack the cards in your favor by being as prepared as possible, and doing your research before heading out.

Location

Walking into your backyard with a flashlight and your phone camera will not encourage a ghostly apparition to appear. Instead of waiting for the spirit to come to you, you need to go to the spirit.

To accomplish this, take some time to do some research on the most haunted areas around you that are open for public access. Private homes and property are a no-go, and while that may seem frustrating, most American towns are full of easily accessible haunted locations.

Use resources like the public library, the internet, and talking to other local paranormal researchers to find the best areas in town with attention-seeking spirits.

Once you’ve pinned down where you want to go, it’s a good idea to take a trip during the day first to familiarize yourself with the area.

Take everything you could need with you, including raincoats, extra flashlights, and a backup form of communication if your phone dies. For extra safety, a lot of advanced ghost hunters work in pairs, so it might not be a bad idea to invite a friend along.

Great locations to start with are cemeteries, historical sites of large trauma like battlefields, or the sights of murders that are easy to access, like hiking trails. With the latter type of area, be cautious of the type of spirits you may see and encounter. Not all ghosts are happy to see you.

Have The Right Equipment

When we say the right equipment, we don’t mean expensive paranormal investigation tools. Paranormal enthusiasts that are hoping for some ghostly sightings should always take along some sort of recording device, but don’t break the bank on paranormal research-specific tools right away. 

Audio recording is good, video with audio recording is better, but your best bet is to have something recording video and a separate tool recording audio. With ghost hunting, there is no such thing as redundancy. 

Some ghosts or other paranormal entities won’t appear to the naked eye or be easy to hear at the moment, but when you playback your recordings, you may be shocked to find actual ghosts making appearances.

If you’re worried about equipment, or even going out to hunt ghosts alone, a great way to get started and have access to ghost hunting equipment is to join a local ghost hunting society. Most societies love to have new members!

Just a camera phone and digital recorder are great for beginner ghost hunting. 

Have The Right Mindset

Paranormal activity doesn’t follow anyone’s schedule. Some ghost hunters see a ghost on their very first outing, while it takes dozens of hunts for others to see a spirit. When you go into your ghost hunt with an open mind and don’t get easily discouraged, you’ll have more fun and increase your chance of encountering the supernatural.

Ghosts and other paranormal entities spend large amounts of energy to manifest, so it’s important for you as a paranormal researcher to not feed more negative energy into the situation. When you are skeptical or doubtful, your chances of seeing the sought-after apparition go down significantly.

Before you head out, clear your mind completely. For some, meditation is helpful, and for others saying a small prayer helps. There is no right or wrong way to prepare yourself.

Why Do Some People See Ghosts Easily?

It can be frustrating when you’ve been trying to see a ghost for ages and failing, but then you hear your neighbor telling someone that they saw a full-body apparition of a deceased loved one a few nights ago. What gives? Why do some people see ghosts easily? 

The answer is actually less nuanced than it might seem at first. Sometimes it is just chance. It’s hard to hear, but some people are just luckier with seeing ghosts. They aren’t any more attuned to the spiritual world than anyone else, they just tend to be in the right place at the right time.

The other common reason some people see ghosts more often than others is that the ghost or ghosts they are seeing sought them out specifically. Walking into a random cemetery and hoping to see an apparition can definitely work, but those ghosts are spirits that have nothing to do with you otherwise.

When a beloved family member has passed but still has unfinished business or emotions concerning someone living, they will spend all of their energy trying to manifest for this person. This could be something like a spouse who didn’t get to say goodbye, or a parent checking up on their child.

It’s important to remember that ghosts were living people, and as such, they have their own goals to accomplish. When a ghost is ready to appear for you, they will. Until then, it’s simply a waiting game.

Remember

Seeing a ghost has a lot of different variables. Luck, preparation, equipment, location, and even whatever mood the ghost is in can determine whether your ghost hunting adventure will yield results. 

Don’t get discouraged if things don’t go as planned the first couple of times you try to see a ghost. Like anything, ghost hunting is a skill, and you will get better with time and practice.