Some people collect stamps and postcards, well...we collect words.
Our name sounds like a group of sci-fi nerds or a supporting cast to Van Helsing but there is a well meaning and genuine reason behind finding us a name and a spot on the big wide world web of internet.
Let's forget about superstitions and the ever growing popularity of new age movement, crystal balls and starry eyed television mediums.
So what are we and who are we? Are we scientific or religious, a hoax or pseudo scientists?
Do we approach people and places from a historic or paranormal point of view?
Well... all and none of these.
We would like to think of ourselves as people who have thought of recording something that has been around since the beginning of the World and that is FOLKLORE.
We do not have to believe in the paranormal for doors to squeek and Uncle John's ghost to have a "hissy fit" over his territory. There are things that always have been with or without explanation and if people do not find a rational explanation for it then it will live in the folk tales and the unexplained section of our library.
If people would not be interested in them and at times adults would not open up a story book to unwind then why those TV ghost hunters have such a wide audience? Why would we tell eachother ghost stories by the fire and read Edgar Allan Poe or flock to the movies to see the Ghostbusters tackle the Marshmallow man?
Somehow, no matter how many shows we watched, how many websites we saw and articles we were reading we felt there was a huge gap......You know...tomorrow's mythology and Folklore is happening today. It is not Bram Stoker at the end of the 19th Century who will tell us about people around the corner, about the strange things happening down at the street opposite the deli or how Mrs Smith used her power over the spirits to win the chook raffle, or why Patty has his chest scratched by invisible fingernails each time he falls asleep drunk after the BBQ?
It might sound too good to be true to believe that we make no money out of this, or that we do not even plan to benefit from our hobby so we level with you. Yes, we do have a kick out of making friends, to put small taverns hidden in the Aussie outback on the map, and if we will ever have the chance to publish a book about Folklore somewhere down the line then be it we will accept the money.
But meanwhile we would like to listen to people, we would like to give them the benefit of the doubt and cover areas that maybe are less alluring to commercial ghost hunters. Western Australia is huge and full of stories. We would like to offer people the benefit of high tech equipment that is available to us as well as our experinece in paranormal research.
WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IT OUR WAY, IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED AND BE PROUD OF THEIR FOLKLORE.
So...Grimm Brothers meet Ghost Hunters......
HERE WE COME... and we hope you will welcome us.
Many thanks
Andrew and Agnes
Our Code of Ethics
Our Motto:
"The Living before the Dead, the Facts before the Fiction, the Mind before the Heart"
What does it mean?
The Living before the Dead
In plain English, it means that our aim is to conduct a paranormal investigation where we consider people involved, their safety, health, their opinion and their needs before the need to satisfy our curiosity or the "demands and wishes" of those responsible for a haunting or paranormal events.
Some might think that a "spirit's" sulking and carrying on, throwing objects and stomping around with a huge chip on their dead shoulders about their property they no longer possess (for obvious reasons) should have people move away or live their lives tiptoeing around something that no longer qualifies to have a drivers' license. The rules are simple, the dead should have NO WORLDLY DEMANDS of the living. They don't need it.
Of course we humans overreact at times or behave with disrespect towards memories and the dead but given everyone the benefit of the doubt we can change and understand to a certain degree. The reason for research, interviews and spirit profiling is to try to understand the reason for events after we rule out any other rational explanation for the haunting (eg. noisy pipes, stressed residents etc) If it is reasonable we try to propose a way of living with the paranormal to the people involved. You might be surprised to know that there are a lot of open minded and well wishing folk out there who are more than keen to help if only they could communicate. However, we (the living) do not possess the supernatural powers of a poltergeist or disgruntled spirit to cause them any headaches, drive them insane or to frighten the living "heevie jeevies" out of them, nor we can cause any more damage to their mental or physical health for the simple reason that they are already dead.
So, in a nutshell, if its causing harm it should GO.
The Facts before Fiction
We at GHA embrace both mythology, the love of folklore/urban legends and science.
To offer a proper investigation we apply both traditional methods of ghost hunting and use the high technology equipment available to us. While it sounds thrilling and exciting to fly off with the fairies and other ethereal beings said to be present at a location it is just as satisfying and thrilling to get to the bottom of a mystery and find a rational explanation for events. Most people are harmlessly under a genuine belief that their place is haunted and (presuming that they are not after profiting from the "haunted reputation" of a dwelling ) you cannot blame them.
At times simply the belief in a well know legend can put people in such a state of mind that they would be convinced that noises and elements around them are being controlled by supernatural beings. It would be deceitful to ignore evidence found to prove a rational explanation to events, especially if residents are distressed or feel they are in some sort of danger. There is no need to create new legends and myths and most people curious and rational enough to accept a simple explanation.
We simply do everything to try to prove a worldly cause for sightings, noises and poltergeist but ready to accept the things that go bump in the night if they choose to appear as well.
There is no place for sensationalism or naivety while hunting ghosts. Knowing that either way is a great help will keep any investigator firmly on the ground but recognizing paranormal events at the same time.
If we find nothing unearthly at a place,many times what is left behind after all is something that is just as beautiful on its own and a phenomena that was always around and just as worthy of recording and keeping it for the future generations:FOLKLORE. Sometimes the truth is more interesting than fiction.
The Mind before the Heart
When we describe the paranormal we describe a certain type of energy that every entity carries whether it is dead or living, whether it has ever walked the Earth before in human form or not. We, everyday people, are not that much concerned about energy and most of us don't feel it necessary to know everything about it to carry on with our daily life.
However some of us are very sensitive to these energies and most of us whether we acknowledge it or not or whether we call it something else or not we experience it regularly. You feel the tension of a frustrated or angry person just by standing next to him in a line or the sadness and hopelessness of a depressed soul you come across.
Ghosts and spirits are of raw energy and if they are trying to communicate with the living they use energies around from the athmosphere or from people who can provide them with similar energies of their own (laws of attraction and magic) It is all fine and illuminating if we are talking about an angel flocking around us and we can bask in its glory of bliss with a grin on our face.
Most Earthbound spirits however have a reason of staying around and behaving badly and in many cases they are a blast of bad energies without the protection of a Faraday cage.
Desperation, rage, pain, anger, hopelessness, sickness, misery abandonment, confusion, the need for revenge etc. These are just examples of different reasons and the unfinished business that could keep a haunting active and a soul wondering around.
All of us are capable to protect ourselves from bad energies and psychic attacks and when researching the paranormal one practically is asking for interaction with these energies. Mind before Heart simply means that always have your feet planted on the ground and protect yourself from any bad influence. Keeping a cool head is as important as knowledge.
Following our motto we also have to follow our code of ethics, not only for common sense or legal reasons but this is also our way of "keeping our part of the bargain" when we talk about the dead.
GHA Code of Ethics
All paranormal investigators and personnel conducting investigation while representing Ghost Hunting Australia understand and agree with the following Code of Ethics and Conduct
- To provide a FREE of charge community service to those in need
- To offer our services to individuals regardless of religion, spiritual belief, race or background
- To conduct every investigation with respect to individuals' experience, local customs and/or local laws
- To carry out each investigation with the outmost tact, professionalism and available resources
- To inform individuals involved of the outcome of the investigation whether it is inconclusive or paranormally active.
- To offer spiritual guidance and advice if needed or if the experience exceeds our expertise to refer the person/s involved to those who can provide the appropriate help whether it is medical, spiritual or other.
- Not to disclose any information of the investigation, conclusion or the background of location or people investigated to third parties without the prior knowledge and permission of individuals involved.
- Not to lead any individuals into beliefs or conclusions regarding the paranormal or a haunting without proper investigation and analysis.
- To always look for the most logical and realistic explanation behind every experience reported and to conduct an investigation with our available technical equipment before declaring a place haunted.
- To carry out all investigations with respect to resident's privacy and property.
- To report all damages(if any) to property owner
- To behave in a civil and professional manner at all times
- Not to use questionable divination aids or practices during investigation, such as "Ouija boards", necromancy, auto writing or Tesla rods/generators.
- Not to take any untrained or uncleared individuals to any investigated location or anyone who is not involved with Ghost Hunting Australia
- If at any time during investigation we feel that anyone present would likely to be unsafe or unwell the investigation is to be aborted in a safe and professional manner. Likewise if the person who authorized investigation wishes to withdraw his/her permission to investigate the premises all investigators to respect the decision and vacate the location.
- No field investigator , adviser or trainee investigator is to approach anyone for a second observation or interview on any premises, or conduct an investigation without previously discussing it with the lead investigator/s of GHA and gaining the permission of both GHA and people at the location.
- No surveillance equipment to be left at the investigated premises after closure of investigation without prior permission and knowledge of residents/owners of the dwelling.
- Every person is responsible for their own safety and obeys safety procedures and cautionary measures appropriate to the premises. No investigator is to engage in a dangerous practice or unsafe investigation while on location nor to use any unauthorized methods of paranormal research.
- All investigators and persons involved in an investigation to report any injuries and incidents that they believe have or possibly endanger the safety or well being of the public, themselves or any other person present.
- All investigators to understand that at any time they are part of a team and behave accordingly.
- No investigator or lead investigator is to conduct an investigation ALONE at any time.
- All investigators of GHA are to provide Police Clearance if requested by GHA before being permitted onto location or to be able to attend briefings where confidential information is discussed.
- A lead investigator of GHA has the authority to refuse any investigators to partake in a field investigation without any reasons given.
- No investigator to be allowed on location without induction and reading and agreeing with the code of ethics.
- All members of GHA to comply with the confidentiality agreement not to release any information discussed or obtained at GHA.
- All investigators involved to inform GHA lead investigators of any finding during investigation and release all equipment and data collected to GHA at the end of each investigation.
Agnes Rado (Founder/Lead investigator)
Star sign: Scorpion
Place of Birth: Hungary
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Heritage: Hungarian
Religion: Practicing Hereditary Pagan
Day time profession: Flower buncher (Floristry)
Trained: Ancient Pagan rituals and practices, Wicca, Natural healing and Herbology, Divination, Emergency care, Fire fighting, Multimedia, Counseling, Basic Parapsychology, Floristry (in progress)
Contribution to GHA: Interviewer, Researcher, Lead investigator, Spirit profiling, Psychic investigation,Psychic defense, Cleansing and banishing, Data analysis and multimedia processing, Demonology
Relevant experience: Wiccan and Pagan practice, High intuition, Multimedia and IT experience, Folklore collecting, Poetry, Traditional Pagan education since childhood of classical and other mythology, folklore, rituals and practices, lifelong ghost hunting
The "Plug": Agnes is an aspiring poet, illustrator and folklore collector. You can view her artwork here
"I was born into a family with a long long history of traditional healers and Pagans. Our line can be traced back to the "Burning times". My birthday is on "Shamhain", or Halloween or the Day of the Dead and it was almost expected of me to have a keen interest in the afterlife. As per Pagan tradition i walked the spiritual path of learning and growing since childhood, slept on battle grounds, visited cemeteries, studying the elements, rituals and ancient practices along with herbalism, taking new professions to gain experience and knowledge in all aspects of life. I have a passion and natural curiosity about folklore and believe there is more to life than the scientific explanation of the physical body.
I have been "Hunting ghosts" since childhood but I am fortunate to team up with Andrew as I feel we balance and complete each other. I have a great respect to other religions and Aboriginal spirituality. I enjoy ghost hunting, I think it is where poetry, folklore spiritualism and science meets and I am a great fan of these."
Andrew Williamson (Co- founder/lead investigator)
- Star sign: Saggitarian
- Place of Birth: Geelong, Australia
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
- Heritage: Australian and French
- Religion: Practicing Christian
- Daytime profession: Coach driver
- Trained:Christian practices and rituals, sound technician,musician
- Contribution to GHA: Lead investigator, Psychic investigator, Christian rituals, blessing, cleansing, banishing, angeology, EVP data analysis (electric Voice Phenomena)
- Relevant Experience: Christian theology training, High intuition, Counseling skills, growing up in the Kimberley region of Western Australia among aboriginal people observing and understanding their customs and spirituality, Christian radio program coordinator, Sound technician, playing guitar, piano and drums.
- The "Plug":Andrew drives for Horizon's West and available for charter on a coaster bus, coach or double decker bus for small or large groups by booking across Western Australia or Perth area. For bookings or to request him as a driver/guide call Horizons West on (08)93518980
protection out on the field. I can sleep like a baby anywhere."
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