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June 1 through June 7, 2026

With the exception of Mercury moving into Cancer on Monday, we should start June off on a fairly quiet and easy-going week. Monday’s Sagittarius Moon calls for fun, so if you can swing it, put off work until tomorrow and follow the heavens’ urge to play! We’ll find ourselves back to work on Tuesday, but with the Moon traveling through Capricorn, we’re sure to get twice as much done as we expect! The work vibes continue until Thursday, when the Moon dances into Aquarius and spends Thursday and Friday inspiring us to think outside the box and be more inventive in all we do! Friendships old and new will also be a theme, as this sign is all about unity and community. We can flow with the whims of the Universe over the weekend as a Pisces Moon creates a calm and lovely few days, allowing us to relax and regroup.

Ghost Hunting vs. Paranormal Investigation, by Richard Southall

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

When I started to investigate the unknown in the 1980s and 1990s, paranormal investigations and ghost hunting were not taken too seriously by most of our society. Back in the day, when a person on the street was asked about his or her knowledge and opinion of the paranormal, images from movies such as Poltergeist and Ghostbusters would often come to mind.

To be honest, this mindset is still held by a small portion of our population to this day. Although nearly thirty years old and considerably outdated, Ray Parker Jr.'s Ghostbusters and the theme from the show The X-Files are still occasionally played as introduction music when a credible guest is interviewed about the paranormal.

Of course, there were some of us who have always taken the paranormal very seriously. Those of who knew about the reality of the paranormal persisted and held true to our beliefs. Finally, our voices began to be heard and people started to listen.

Since the late 2000s, the public's perception of the paranormal has evolved to the point that it has become socially acceptable and in some cases even en vogue to believe in things otherworldly. According to a 2005 Gallup Poll, approximately 32% of the general population believe in ghosts. National polls in different countries have yielded similar results. Not too shabby.

I believe that this paradigm shift is absolutely fascinating as it gives paranormal enthusiasts a sense of credibility that was really not there in the past. I'd have to think that the Internet, social media, and television shows such as Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures have brought ghost hunting out of the shadows and has made it an accepted part of our mainstream culture.

However, I've noticed that a small number of people have simply jumped on the bandwagon and have started to "ghost hunt" without having any real understanding of the paranormal. A smaller number still will use a "paranormal investigation" or "ghost hunt" as an excuse to party, trespass, and vandalize. Sadly, this type of irresponsibility and ignorance has occasionally had devastating results. Just think of the tragic end to Lebeau Plantation in Arabi, Louisiana. In 2013, a group of people went "ghost hunting" while under the influence of drugs and alcohol accidentally caught the antebellum mansion on fire, burning it to the ground.

I think that we as paranormal enthusiasts should unite together in order to make certain that the general public understand what ghost hunters and paranormal investigators do, how they do it, and, more importantly, why they do it. In order to do so, I think that it would be useful to make a distinction between ghost hunting and paranormal investigation.

At first glance, the terms "paranormal investigation" and "ghost hunting" appear to be interchangeable, used to describe the active study of paranormal events that take place at different locations. However, with years of experience in the field, I believe that there are some minute but important differences between ghost hunting and paranormal investigation.

What Is Paranormal Investigation?
As the name implies, paranormal investigation is simply the investigation and study of events that mainstream culture would define as "paranormal." As I have said in previous articles, blogs, and radio interviews, the vast majority of a paranormal investigation does not actually take place at a haunted location. Most of the time spent conducting a paranormal investigation involves doing research.

When I conduct an investigation, I tend to srpend the first part of an investigation learning as much history as possible about a location that is allegedly haunted. This would include researching names of people, important dates, significant events, and other facts about the location. When I have gathered enough information about a location, I would then collect rumors, legends, or any related information that may lead some to believe that a location is haunted. Finally, I will search for eyewitnesses to any paranormal activity. This is actually easier than a person would expect, since most often the people experiencing a haunting are seeking me out. Needless to say, this process can take some time if done properly.

Once I have gathered and researched this information, then I will generally make a visit to a haunted location. Although I tend to remain open-minded, I try to look at things realistically and rationally. I don't want to simply jump to conclusions; just because there are rumors and legends that a place is haunted does not necessarily mean that it is haunted.

This point is where I believe that paranormal investigations really can get exciting. A person can still bring all of the interesting technology along to along to capture an EVP or photograph of the ghost. Technology is essential to an investigation, but it is important to remember that there is more to the investigation than simply relying on the technology. It is used to support the hypothesis as to whether or not a location is haunted, one piece of a much larger puzzle. That being said, there is nothing more exciting and than to be able to satisfying than to trace EVP or apparition back to a particular person.

To give you an idea of how paranormal investigation has influenced our society, think of Gray Barker's book They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers or John Keel's The Mothman Prophesies. Barker and Keel both meticulously researched information from a large went through a variety of sources (interviews, newspapers, etc.), which allowed them to weave together stories have influenced several aspects of our culture. Think of the movies Men In Black and The Mothman Prophesies. Without Keel's and Barker's thorough dedication into properly investigating their respective topics, these stories would likely have not endured over the years.

What Is Ghost Hunting?
Ghost hunting has a slightly different flavor than paranormal investigation. As mentioned earlier in the article, the paranormal and especially ghost hunting have received a great deal of positive attention recent years. Although research of a haunted area is conducted prior to the ghost hunt, it is sometimes not conducted to the same extent as with a paranormal investigation. I feel that sometimes the main focus of the ghost hunt is for the people to have a fun and scary experience while in an area that is believed to be haunted. There is nothing wrong with that. To be honest, some of my most memorable scrapes with the paranormal have been on ghost hunts.

Some ghost hunters rely heavily on technology to gather proof of a haunting. This is all well and good, but sometimes a person can have the tendency to focus too much on the technology that they often overlook some the bigger picture. Think about a person who sees the ocean for the first time but is so concerned about capturing it on film that they miss the entire experience. I've seen it happen all too often.

If a person relies heavily on listening for EVPs or over-analyzing a photograph, there is the danger of finding something that really isn't there. This phenomenon is known as pareidolia, or finding a familiar visual or auditory pattern in some stimulus that is not really present. Sometimes, a shadow in a photograph isn't an apparition of a ghost. Sometimes, it's just a shadow.

That being said, there have been many, many legitimate examples of convincing anecdotal evidence collected during a ghost hunt. Some of the most impressive examples of EVPs and photographs have been captured by people simply going through an area that is believed to be haunted.

Another difference between paranormal investigation and ghost hunting is that ghost hunting can often be considered more of social event than paranormal investigation. Several businesses have sprouted throughout the country that offers "ghost hunts," especially around Halloween. Ghost hunts are often accompanied with some publicity or fanfare. Paranormal investigations are usually more low-key with only a few participants.

So, Is One Better Than the Other?
Although there are a few subtle differences between ghost hunting and paranormal investigation, I am not going to say that one is better than another. In fact, I think that the two can complement one another quite nicely. I know of paranormal groups that have ghost hunts for the public and conduct paranormal investigations for private individuals. In essence, they can provide the best of both worlds for those interested in ghosts.

A ghost hunt conducted by a group of responsible friends or under the supervision of a tour guide will allow some people the opportunity to know what it is really like to search through a haunted area. For some, a one night trek by flashlight through an abandoned asylum or prison is quite enough to quench their thirst for the unknown. These people would likely enjoy ghost hunting immensely.

However, there are those of us who want to know the who, why, when, where, and how of a place that may be haunted. People of this mindset will likely be more inclined to enjoy conducting paranormal investigations.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2015. All rights reserved.

I dated a guy years ago, and though I am very happy with my life and have moved on, often I still feel what he is going through emotionally or I have dreams about his life. It's been more than a decade since we parted, so I'm amazed at the power of our connection. It's so strong that I have visions about his life. Do we always remain connected to those we have loved deeply even when we're no longer with them?

Astrea:

Many people with psychic abilities or budding psychic sensitivities experience love the way you feel it for your friend. They can feel how their connection is never broken. Love like yours is always there.

Soul mate reunions and departures are like The Never Ending Story because love has no ending. Love is perpetual and constant. Love is the one thing that withstands all elements, distance, time and dimensions. Your connection is unusual because you're more aware of it than other people may be. What you're sensing is very real and beautiful; don't feel guilty for feeling love!

We have many Soul Mates from whom to choose in each incarnation, so we are regularly coming together with them and breaking apart. If we are returning with a Like Soul or a member of our Ka-Tet (Karmic Family), there are many variables that may affect the way things go.

People evolve in different directions and at different paces, and the evolution of souls is much the same. It's hard to grasp the concept of infinity or even of Infinite Power. Souls don't always go into lessons and experiences at the same times or even during the same centuries. Each goes at his or her own pace. Also, often we don't synchronize with every Soul Mate we encounter on our personal journeys.

People also come into our lives on the Random, and that creates new outcomes and possibilities. Meetings and partings are a big part of being here on Earth. Loving this person doesn't mean you don't deeply love your own husband. I agree that these intense connections can be distracting and bittersweet, but if you have one, you're wise to maintain it so that you'll be ready for the next time you come together in love.

In future incarnations, perhaps the two of you will choose to be linked spiritually and romantically in a way that it will last your entire lifetime. Knowing that the love you feel for one another is unbroken will sustain you until you can physically be together again; what you're sensing is a strong indication that you will indeed come together again in love.

The old saying, As long as two people are alive, anything is possible has expanded. Now we say, As long as there is love, there is hope. Love affects all of us differently, but it is the purest and most powerful emotion of all. Trust that what you're sensing is very real, and take it as a reminder that true love never dies.

*****

Susyn:

We always remain connected to those we have loved deeply but are no longer with physically, whether our connection with them involved romance, friendship or a family tie. These feelings can emerge with people we have shared important past lives with as well.

When we feel close to someone whether they are physically near us or not, our empathic powers sense what the other person is going through emotionally and sometimes even physically. If these people were a powerful presence in our lives, there is a good chance we will cross paths with them again at some point in time.

Another aspect to consider is that because this man was once a powerful influence in your life, you will always feel connected to him because he reflects certain aspects of your personality that developed when you were together. Relationships can open up traits within us that we may keep hidden or buried when there is no one in our life to share them with.

A few years ago, I crossed paths with my childhood sweetheart. Though it has been 30 years since we had seen each other, he was someone I carried in my thoughts and sometimes in my dreams throughout the years. Our meeting reflected the strong connection between us that still seemed to be there; it was an amazing experience.

We developed a friendship, but over time I came to realize that one of the strongest attractions I felt was based on the fact that he represented a certain time frame in my life. The relationship had occurred before some of the heavy realities of life had touched either of us, before we embarked on the difficult lessons of growing up. Seeing each other took us back to a time when life was simple and carefree. This then became an opportunity for me to reclaim some of that innocent hope and spirit I carried back then.

You may want to meditate on who you were during the time the two of you were involved. In this way, you could discover that part of your attraction to him is calling you back to those earlier days and the person you were back then.

Your visions of him and the empathy you appear to feel for his emotions clearly speak to your own psychic capabilities. Trust your intuition when these thoughts and feelings come up. At some point, you may feel drawn to seek him out to reconnect with him, or you may pick up the phone or open an email to discover he has been experiencing similar thoughts and feelings about you.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.