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"Dead"-itorial: An Evening With Researching Indy's Paranormal
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RIP(from left to right)-Tim, Eric "Slicker", Heather, Todd, Rebecca, Amanda
In a world where conspiracies, unexplained phenomenon, and the uncertainty of afterlife plague our minds, it is comforting to know that there are elite professionals out there with the sole intention of exposing the truth. So who are these specialists? MIB? CIA? David Duchovny? A group of paranormal investigators based on the Westside of Indianapolis? Sure and I had the unique experience of sitting down and talking with the fine folks at Researching Indy’s Paranormal (RIP).
The idea of “ghost hunting” has been popularized in recent years thanks to the Sci-Fi network and their endless supply of similar-themed shows. These programs have since spawned multiple ghost groups in every major city across the country and their members never seem to differ with smug and self-righteous attitudes that would put The Lone Gunmen to shame. So what makes RIP any different?
Researching Indy’s Paranormal is a local organization comprised of six members, who all have varied beliefs and agendas. While nobody has a specific title or position, each member of the team brings a distinct skill with them on each investigation. Tim and Eric, otherwise known as “Slicker”, are the technicians, as they have superior knowledge on the equipment used. Todd is the webmaster and organizer. Heather utilizes her talents in public relations, while newcomers Amanda and Rebecca have shown great promise with their abilities in research and demystifying EVPs.
For a team of ghost investigators, they don’t all necessarily even believe in what they are doing. Slicker seems to be the skeptic of the group, as he said, “it’s all stupid”. Heather on the other hand is a believer based on the evidence they have received, while Todd is very torn over his exact beliefs.
Even though they may not all have the same viewpoints, one they thing they all have in common is being witness to a ghostly presence. In her youth, Rebecca viewed a transparent, floating blue head in her bedroom window. Amanda played with her deceased grandparents as a child and the talent to see visions of the dead followed her into adulthood. Such shared incidences are what influenced their choice to get involved with RIP.
One common objection to anything of the “unexplained” variety is the fact that these notions are based in logic and are not just some paranoid hobby. When asked if they assert the claim that their investigations are based in science, Slicker immediately spoke up and said, “it’s as scientific as anything else”. Heather had a more sensible response as she explained that they approach it as scientifically as they can with the instruments available.
Researching Indy’s Paranormal’s expertise isn’t just restricted to ghosts and entities. They have acquired advance knowledge on topics such as mediums and their ability to communicate with the dead. Tim asserts the argument that if there is no way to prove it, then he cannot believe it. Slicker agrees with his teammate but adds that it’s just another way to make money. To prove this statement, the team plans to interview a supposed medium and bring him to Slicker’s house but not explain what they witnessed there to see if he picks up on it on his own.
While the precise definition of a ghost is somewhat vague, RIP was more than eager to offer their own opinion on the term. Slicker thinks they are a lost soul searching for a way home but doesn’t accept the fact that they have an appearance. Rebecca conversely thinks that they do indeed have an appearance that is relative to how the spirit perceives itself, which would explain they are often seen wearing clothes. Tim then added that 90% of all haunting are residual, meaning that the apparition is simply imprinted on the area and on a constant loop. Slicker then replied that residual is one of three types of haunting, with the other two being poltergeist, or all that is evil, and a “smart” ghost, which can communicate and manipulate objects.
Almost as important in ghost lore as the spirits themselves is what are known as orbs. An orb is an unexplained light floating in photos and videos. Heather offered her analysis of an orb as a ghost attempting to draw enough energy to manifest itself. Slicker explained that is the common theory that the color of an orb has some meaning. Red is obviously some sort of evil, while white is said to the final stage or beating heart of an entity. Although the team is of the assumption that close to 98% of these orbs end up being dust or moisture on the lens.
Researching Indy’s Paranormal aren’t just a group of walking paranormal encyclopedias and they use their knowledge in the field during many investigations. In the next segment, we will learn a little more about the actual investigation, as well as some haunting information on one of Indianapolis’ most popular downtown locations.
Part II - The Paranormal Process
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