If you’d like to see a ghost, you may need to do a lot of ghost hunting.
Many long-time ghost hunters have never seen a ghost. Not one that they were sure was really there.
They may have sensed them. Felt a “cold spot” or something invisible brush past them. Heard an odd sound, or recorded EVP. And so on.
But apparitions – ghosts that you can actually see – are rare.
Most of the time, people think they may have seen something, but – at the time – it surprised them so much, they didn’t instantly think “ghost.”
- It may have been an unexplained flicker of light or a shadow.
- It might have been just part of a ghostly figure, like a face that was there one moment, and gone the next.
- It could have been a full apparition that they mistook for someone living, dressed in a costume. (That’s common at some living history events.)
- It could have been a full or partial apparition the person saw for just a second, out of the corner of his or her eye. And then, it was gone.
- In many cases, the ghostly image shows up as a reflection in a window, mirror, or shiny surface like a table top.
- It may be a shadowy figure, whether or not it’s a “shadow person.”
However, seeing a ghostly figure that looks “like a ghost” (either solid or translucent) and realizing it’s a ghost while you still see it… that’s so extraordinary, I can’t recall anyone talking in those terms.
In other words, if you want to see a ghost, be observant. Notice everything, especially the things that make you do a quick double-take.
Chances are, you won’t be sure it was a ghost until minutes after it’s vanished. And, even then, you may have doubts.
Keep your expectations low. Don’t insist that you have to see a ghost to believe in them. Many people will never see a ghost, but their other experiences will convince them that ghosts are real… and they’ve encountered one.
In my opinion, haunted cemeteries are one of the best places to actually see an apparition. I recommend haunted cemeteries to beginners, too, because most cemeteries are free to visit. And, with some research, you’re likely to find two or three haunted cemeteries near you.
You’ll learn more in my book, Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries.
Some people see anomalies. Some only photograph them. Others hear anomalous sounds or voices. Yet others only record them. And so on.
As you investigate haunted sites, you’ll develop a “sixth sense” related to your unique way of tuning-in to ghosts.
It may not be anything visual. If it is, let me know what you experience. Leave a comment at this article. I’m always interested in apparitions… when they happen, where, and exactly what they look like.
Few people actually see a ghost, but – if you do – it can be extraordinary.
I’ve been very impressed by the ghosts of the Salem Inn in Salem, Massachusetts. Also, I’m fascinated by the old pirates’ tunnels beneath Essex Street. Several buildings adjoining it have dramatic ghost stories.