BUILDING A PARANORMAL TEAM-REALLY.....IT'S THE BEST OF THE BEST THAT WILL GO SIT IN THE DARK WITH YOU IN AN OLD ABANDON PITCH BLACK CEMETERY.

Before I ever start this week's topic let me say..... I have THE BEST group of people that go with me to places that few would ever dream of going in the dead of the night!  I guess they are just as crazy as me, right??? LOL

Come on....anyone that would go in here at
night with you....they ROCK!!!

Again, how creepy.

Getting together a group of people that you can rely on and know that they got "your back" just like you have theirs....well it's not as easy as it sounds.  Not EVERYONE is willing to go up against a ghost for ya!!!  Pictured are the BEST group of people I could ever ask for!!!  Thanks to every one of you:

Craig Deacon, Karen and Kevin Stapleton, Tammy Hightower, Alison Hightower, CaLisa and Chris Anderson, Ruth Vickers, Mark and Belynda DiCiaccio, Kaleb DiCiaccio,  Naomi Robledo, and Dakota Nykoruk.

OK OK....enough mushy stuff LOL.  Back to business.  With all the publicity that our field is receiving these days anyone came snap off a couple of pics, catch a couple of EVP's and claim to be a GHOST HUNTER.  The difference between a....hhuuummm......how do I say this nice....."a jumping on the band wagon" ghost hunter and a TRUE GHOST HUNTER is HEART(Hunting Evidence And Researching Truth....I just made that up but I LIKE it!!! hahaa ) TRUE Ghost Hunters or the more formal term..... Paranormal Investigators are in this field because we are driven by the desire to understand and search for TRUE evidence that there is an afterlife and we can still contact spirits or our loved ones after they have passed.  Another reason we stand apart is because we know that our strength of character, honesty, courage, an objectivity for the paranormal last longer than a few fleeting months.  For me, I have said before, that studying the paranormal is as much a part of me as breathing!!!  It is in my heart and soul, and a passion that few ever get to experience!  Thank you Nan.

When you start a group you need to have a goal in mind....what is it you are looking for, how are you going to go about finding it and how are you going to present it.  You need to set a few rules and guidelines.  I have a handbook that explains how to conduct an interview, research the location, what is expected as far as conduct is concerned etc.  This just helps things run smoother when people know what is expected of them. You know me....I've got to say it in BECK TERMS......it's kinda like driving down the highway....with the dotted lines down the middle....everyone knows which side of the lines to drive on....if you didn't have the lines...well.....might make things more difficult for people to know which side is theirs.  Anyway.....make sure everyone understand the basic theories behind paranormal anomalies.  You want to chose people that can put their ego's aside.  You don't want someone that tries to "be in everyone's business" so to speak or tries to constantly be judging someone's evidence or the way they are conducting their investigation.  Remember....you can eat a cookie with your left hand or you can eat a cookie with your right hand.....either way....once it gets in your mouth......uuuuuummmm it taste GREAT so see one isn't better than the other.  LOL  You get point.... :)  Another example, a better one maybe...is....I do not conduct my investigations the same way that Zak from Ghost Adventures does.  He is very much into taunting and I am not!  Now I am not bad mouthing Zak..... it's just that I do NOT want someone talking to my loved that way so I chose to speak to the spirits in a more respectful manner.

I personally feel that EVERYONE needs room to grow and develop their OWN style of investigating that works best for them and you, the lead investigator, and the team as a whole.  I also believe that IF you give people the chance, they will develop their own "six sense" so that they are able to pick up of feelings, smells, sounds etc. and be more in tune with their surrounds.  This does nothing but BETTER your team.  And if you can, keep your team small or if you have a larger group, make sure that you separate them into smaller groups, it just seems to flow easier that way.

When someone request to be a member in your group, I suggest that you let them attend a couple of investigations first.  This way you can see if they are serious or just curious.  Come up with your own question and answer form BEFORE you invite them in to see why they are interested in the paranormal. 

Communication is KEY!!!!  If you have to drag information out of someone because they don't want to share their photos, or EVP's with the group(sometimes, people feel THEY won't get credit....you know how that goes) chances are good they'll withhold critical information while on assignment or during an evidence review.

Once you feel comfortable they are in the field for the same reasons you are and their character seems to be what you and the other team members are looking for....then invite them into this crazy world of ours.  Don't forget that all your team members should approach each investigation with skepticism until other wise proven differently.  You don't want someone that every little noise, spot on a picture or sound is paranormal activity.

I will probably have an additional post on this subject down the road because there are still things I would like to suggest, but for tonight, that's enough.

Now, go out.....have some fun.....and do what you do best.....FIND GHOSTS!!!!!!!!!

I will be happy to provide my forms and handbook to any one that would like to use them as a template if you are considering starting up a group.  Just email me at becksghosthunters@yahoo.com

Until next Tuesday, say safe in this bad weather.  We are just starting to thaw out here in Texas. :)