How can I maximise my chances of a paranormal experience?

I'm about to visit one of Australias most haunted buildings...
I'm going to Monte Christo, in New South Wales. It's repeatedly written up as possibly Australias most haunted building, and I'm keen to take a look.
I'd welcome any suggestions as to how to best maximise my chances of having a paranormal experience while there.
I'll be taking digital a camera, an EMF detector, and my own senses...
If anyone has any other suggestions of Australian locations that are worth a visit, I'd love to hear about them too!
Thanks guys, Stay safe.

*Stepping out into a bounds other then what I believe*

I'd suggest maybe watching movies of paranormal activities, Ghost Hunters and stuff.

Perhaps telling everyone you know "I'll be back soon".

Also, a Voice recorder, or whatever they had on the Movies White Noise, those should do good.

If money isn't a problem, I'd list quite a few more things!

A heat imaging thing.... camera like, not sure the name

Most of all, just 'be on the look out.

I can't directly answer your question regarding that place. But I do know that if you go into isolated areas in the bush you will greatly enhance your chances of experiencing something strange. Just go for a big drive across the country...pretty much anywhere.

I tend to rage against gullibility on this site but only because I actually know what's going on.(me arrogant...never) I've seen things that would make closed minded skeptics poo in their pants.

I can answer that for you. When and if you see of hear something out o9f the ordinary, don't run away screaming like a little girl. Almost every show I see where the host encounters something very strange, they get scared and run out of the room. 9 times out of 10, there is a completely rational explanation for what happened. But you have to be present to witness things like that. Please let us know what you find.

Be extremely rude to the ghosts.

Thank you to all who've helped me with this.

Republican 08, thanks for the reminder about a voice recorder. Shall do! though a thermal imaging camera is well out of reach just now...

Mr Wiffler, I couldn't agree more about spending time out in the bush. In fact this trip to Monte Christo is just a detour on my way to a week out in the bush.

Network Dude... Run screaming? Me? lol... No, I doubt I'd be sent off running and screaming... I'd actually appreciate the chance to experience some of what goes on at Monte Christo first hand. I'm not the run screaming type...

Phlyhx, so you think that to be very rude to the spirits may help ensure a response? Hmmm... not a bad idea and certainly worth a try if nothing happens by being neutral. Try to antagonise them into a response... Ok

Again, thanks all for the imput. If I have the good fortune of experiencing anything I'll let you know.
Cheers,

From watching ghost shows, etc. I can say that recording video or taking pictures (especially with a flash) will not really document anything, more likely than not you'll just get false positives like orbs, mist/fog, etc.

I believe your best chance is EVP, so bring along a digital voice recorder. Explain to the spirit why you are there, explain what your recorder is (remember the spirits most likely didn't have this kind of technology in their time.) Ask them to speak as loudly and clearly into the object you're holding in your hand as they can. Make sure you pause to give them time to answer. Basically do it as if you were actually interviewing someone. While this won't provide conclusive evidence to other people, you can pretty much determine if ghosts are real for yourself if you get a clear voice that is answering your questions on the tape when you play it back.

I like Phlynx's suggestion of being rude and trying to enrage the ghosts BUT it depends. Research the history... if there are ghosts of women or children, you want to take a very nice and respectful approach or they will hide and not speak to you. But if it's an angry male spirit, then egging it on may bring out some strong reactions. Just be prepared for the results... treat it just like a real person, you may experience things including and up to physical attacks if you start really mouthing off.

Do stuff that would confuse or aggravate you in your own house that can't be ignored, like flipping chairs upside down on the table.

Yarcofin's post is the best method to achieve good results, although I would say a video recorder can be very helpful (just a normal DV one - nothing flashy needed) - set it up on a tripod while undertaking your EVP session. I doubt it will record anything paranormal but it is a great way to review yourself at a later point in time, to see how you can improve or see if any noises/voices detected aren't something else such as rustling clothing while you fidget waiting for a reply.

The biggest waste of time and money in my book are infra-red thermometers (they measure surface temperature of objects rather than the air) and thermal imaging cameras (nothing has ever been successfully detected using them and are prone to glitches/reflections/misreadings).

Have fun anyway and be sure to report back to inform us of how it went (even if it was bad)!

Thanks Yarcofin & Goathief,
Suggestions taken on board.
I see your point about no flashes... dont need photos of dust orbs!
I'll go with the EVP and hopefully the video if possible.
As for not being antagonistic to the point of being attacked... GOOD POINT!
I certainly dont need a 200 year old ghost beating me up...
Thanks for the advice, everyones been great with some very helpful suggestions.
I'll let you know how it goes... or doesn't go...
stay safe.

I would suggesrt, a recorder, although i dont know which would be better analog or digital. Doing my own online research into paranormal stuff, most seem to use digital..the idea, is to ask questions, and hopefully, record a voice that normal hearing cannot pick up, in terms of decibles.
Def the digital camera...those emf sensors are questionable, more or less. I read, they can also pick up elctromagnetic fields around common items, suck as lamps, light bulbs, tv's and even naturally occuring magnetic fields. Maybe also a digital thermometer, as to pick up cold spots in specific locations.

Infrored camera! They are really expensive, but poeple like the warrens, doing the amityville investigation in the 70's, used infrored to capture a picture of what appearrs, to be one of the young brothers murdered, his ghost starring at the camera, in the dark. That was an interesting picrture indeed! I dont know, how reliable an infrored camera would be though..compared to digital

Perhaps another suggestion.. paper and crayon. In some cases ive read about hauntings, investigators woudl leave a room, come back minutes later, and find a name written on paper and crayon they had left on the table, when trying to contact the spirit. It would seem, IF they are capable of it, next to a digital recorder, paper and crayon may or maynot work think the digital recorder is by far better.

Take a Ouija board with you on your expedition to the haunted places.

Perhaps you can connect with the spirits or demons in an upclose and personal manner.

Of course you may become possessed, but you can't have a more maxed out paranormal experience than that.

Be warned however that even trying to contact spiritual beings in even a casual manner could result in possession and madness if not equipped with the shield of faith and the sword of honor.

This type of quest should not even be considered by the faint of heart or the uninitiated thrill seekers.

Thanks Ziggy 1706 & Whaaa,
I'll definately be taking a voice recorder, and a digital camera.
I'm afraid that the infra red camera is well out of my range at the moment, though I can stretch the budget to a crayon and paper!
A Ouija board was something I hadn't considered... hmmm good suggestion.
Thanks folks,
Stay safe.

If it were me and I was seeking an encounter I'd be less worried about the equipment and more concerned with my own state of mind.

If a spirit won't "come out and play" in the first place, it doesn't matter if you have a $10 disposable camera or a $50,000 thermal imaging rig... there's simply not going to be anything there to capture on film.

I would recommend getting plenty of rest the night before, and do whatever you can to be sure you are relaxed, alert and energized. If your visit is going to be at night, consider napping during the day.

When you are on site, you need to trust you instincts. Things that you might normally not even notice under different circumstances may be much more significant in a place with a lot of spiritual activity.

A glint of motion out of the corner of your eye, a change of mood without an associated cause, a change of temperature in one direction, a wierd feeling in the pit of your stomach... there are many ways that a spirit can make itself known, and if it's token efforts are acknowleged and respected, it might chose to put forth more effort at communication.

If you are really seeking an encounter, I would find a quiet place that "Feels right". Settle down. Get comfortable. Be quiet. Listen. "Feel." Keep the lighting very dim if you can. Speak only occasionally, asking for a presense to make itself known, and give it a reason why it should.

BE RESPECTFUL. A ghost may be trapped in an area because of some horrible, unresolved circumstance in it's past. You should be compassionate and understanding. How would you want to be treated if you died unexpectadly and found yourself confused, afraid and separated from everyone and everything that you cared about?

I wouldn't recommend disturbing the area to try to provoke a resonse. That just seems like spiritual vandalism to me.

I've encountered some very powerful entities and while it might sound like fun to try to provoke some sort of tangible response, those entities play by a different set of rules than we do and there could be unfortunate consequences should you get their attention in a bad way.

If I were attempting to make contact, I'd sit quietely, meditate, and imagine my body glowing a bright white in the dark, and radiating energy all around. Like a candle in the dark, this energy can be seen for quite a ways, and a curious entity might come to investigate.

Good luck!

reply to post by Dragon33

I once saw a ghost-hunting program from New Zealand that got a spectacular picture of a recling, long-deceased visitor to an erstwhile hotel.
Instead of insulting the ghosts, they decided to reproduce a setting from the period, and played some old gramaphone records that were known to have played there. That did the trick, but not so good fro EVPs.

Thanks, Wildcat117
I do see your point in that it is probably a lot more to do with the individual who is ghost hunting rather than what they use to do it. I particulary like the white light idea.
Your opinion of respecting the presence rather than going gungho at them is well noted also.

Thanks also to Halfoldman,
recreating music from their era etc sounds like an interesting thing to try if I can arrange it. I can well see why that may encourage an encounter.

Thanks everyone, I'm getting some great ideas for this venture and I'm looking forward to using as many of them as I can.
Stay safe!

I say do your research on wherever your going, if they spoke in a different language there during its hayday, learn a few phrases, mostly questions when doing EVP's. Find out what kind of activity's took place there, if its an old military instulation you can blurt out " name and rank soldier" or however they would say it during that time period.

this is a little much, but you can also dress for the time period to fool them into thinking your with them, so they interact with you.

I say go in easy at first, use your recorder, explain to them what it is, and if they have any messages for you or even for their family's.

after that you can try antagonizing them, .... ask them to make a noise if they want you to leave, or call them cowards because they can't.

either way, have fun.

Wear a Tesla coil as a hat

Thanks IntastellaBurst,
the strength of opinion definately seems to be with the EVP.
Yes I think the easy, friendly approach to start off with too.
Dress like they did 200 years ago? Hmmm... I doubt I'd fool them with that one... might get myself locked up though!
And Better Mouse Trap... er thanks, but I'd definately get locked up wearing your suggestion!
Thanks folks,
Stay safe.