What we don’t understand, we’re most likely to fear. Our prejudices against the Other World—whether spurred on by Hollywood horror movies or warnings from the pulpit—prevent us from experiencing productive, positive spirit encounters.

Over the eight years that I’ve been involved in coordinating the Nevada Ghost and Paranormal Series, I’ve been fortunate to work with many talented psychics and mediums who’ve offered tips for conquering my trepidation in opening up to the other realm. Here’s some of the best advice I’ve received from these professionals.

Pray for protection.

Evil exists in the human world, so why wouldn’t it reside in the afterlife as well? Ask God, the ultimate power, to protect you against all lower and negative entities. Request He permit only the higher, positive ones to visit you. Depending on the situation, you may need to repeat this request several times during an investigation or experience. Trust your instincts. Psychic/Medium Vickie Gay  believes surrounding yourself with protection is essential when working with spirits.

Take control.

One of the ways the Great I Am watches over you is by granting you power over the entities that visit you. If at any time you’re uncomfortable with a presence, thank it for coming and then tell it to leave.

Set your boundaries.

Let spirits know what they can and can’t do around you.

  • Limit the number of entities that can appear at one time
  • Whether they can touch you or not
  • If you don’t want them to follow you home or re-visit you later, let them know
  • Set guidelines to prevent sudden frights (i.e. No one is permitted to startle me.)

The law of attraction.

The morning I left for the Goldfield Hotel (GFH), psychic ghost investigator Debby Constantino told me, “You get what you put out there. If you’re scared, you’ll attract fear. If you’re pleasant, that’s what you’ll encounter.” Be what you want to receive. If you enter a haunted house and act obnoxious, guess what’s going to show up?

Don’t invite just anyone over.

Many who want to experience the paranormal cast the largest net possible, hoping to attract any specter. Psychic Pride Hansen advised, “No one goes to a street corner in a bad neighborhood and just hands his house key to whoever wants them. When dealing with spirits, be just as selective as you would with people.”

Treat ghosts like people.

Show respect and that’s what you’ll get in return (refer to the Law of Attraction). The best ghost hunters I’ve worked with introduce themselves while conducting EVP, are pleasant and conversational and they never provoke.

Clear energy afterward.

After every ghost hunt, ask God to clear your body of energy that doesn’t belong to you. This technique has prevented me from carrying home someone’s emotions or accommodating an unknown ethereal hitchhiker. I even do this nightly to ensure a better night’s sleep.