| There are allot of things to consider when you are thinking about joining a ghost hunting team. We have provided many of these considerations for you in the questions below. Please consider them carefully.
1.)
Are we the kind of group you are looking for? SGHA uses procedures that are radically different from the methodology of most ghost hunting groups. A description of what our group does can be found in the link provided below.
SGHA's Operational Process
SGHA
is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Members must be close enough
to attend our meetings or be willing to participate solely on-line through our forum.
2.)
Do you have enough available time?
SGHA
predominately conducts ghost hunts, investigations and research on the
weekends. When we travel to locations outside of the metro-Albuquerque
area, we will often stay at the location overnight. Generally
speaking, we perform at least one investigation every
month.
Being
involved with SGHA requires a considerable amount of your spare time,
especially on the weekends. Additionally, SGHA performs fundraiser's and
members are expected to participate in them.
3.)
Can you afford it?
SGHA
does not charge membership dues. However, when we travel, the expense
often comes out of our own pockets. The cost of hotels, meals and gas
are a major consideration. We do what we can to keep the costs low (car-pooling,
sharing hotel rooms, etc.) but it does require some cash (you have to
eat!).
There
are hunts and investigations performed locally but the frequency of these
activities vary. There have been times where we have gone 12 months without
a local investigation.
4.)
Do you have reliable internet access?
SGHA
coordinates and plans our activities through a member's only section of
our forum. Members need to check the forum at least weekly
to keep track of what's going on and what is being planned.
5.)
Do you have initiative?
Being
in SGHA requires initiative. We do not know your schedule and what activities
you are able to participate in. It is a member's responsibility to check
the forum and activity participate in the group.
6.)
How well can you handle "science"? Are we really the kind of group you are looking for?
Our goal is to skeptically investigate haunted locations by using critical thinking and employing investigative methods that we have learned and developed. We believe that ghosts and hauntings are explainable phenomena and that the empirical investigation of reality leads to the truth. While some may call this "debunking" it is a vital process. Before you can even think about something being paranormal in nature, you must first rule out all natural or manmade explainations. This specific activity accounts for 80% of the group's activities. A good explanation of this process can be found in this article;
Scientific Investigation of the Paranormal
SGHA
is also research association. As such we are hypothesis based, meaning that
we are attempting to validate or disprove various hypotheses about "ghosts". This requires that a member be knowledgeable
of the sciences involved in our research in order to understand what we
are looking for and why. If science bores you, then you will probably
be confused and perhaps even frustrated after a while. If nothing else,
you must be able to learn and obtain at least a basic level of understanding
of the sciences involved.
Also
be aware that SGHA does not employ the uses of psychics, mediums or sensitive's.
There is one catch to this in our by-laws (if the psychic is brought in
independently by a third party). Questionable methods, such as dowsing
rods and ouija boards are also forbidden by our by-laws. Everyone
has belief systems. Whether you believe in ghosts and an afterlife or
not. Most often belief systems may surface due to religious belief (or
lack of thereof). Belief systems are confining and are a direct violation
of the Scientific method. Researching
the paranormal in a true scientific context requires an individual to
step way from their belief system and look at things with an open mind.
Many incidents are explainable, others are not.
7.)
Do you work well with others?
You
have to be a team player.
8.)
Do you have the time and the willingness to learn?
Our training program is one of the hardest out there but if you are willing to learn it is worth the effort.
Still
interested?
If
after considering the above questions and reading the by-laws, you desire
to become a member of SGHA, there is a final step to accomplish.
1. Fill out this form and follow the instructions. Answer the questionnaire to the best of your ability because
your answers will matter in the final decision to grant
membership. The form also contains a personality type test. This is used as a guideline to help us determine how well you will fit in with the other members of the group. |
