I’m sure you’re asking at this point what is the “Darkness”? Well simply put it is what I call collectively a mood (depression, fear, sadness, anxiety, etc.) that comes with no warning and with no seemingly outside influences, as in like losing a loved one or being dumped. I belief the “Darkness” is really caused by either a demon, spirit(s), picking up on another’s emotional state (maybe they are projecting subconsciously) or a other worldly entity. Sometimes they may want to convey their own feelings or something about their death or possibly because they just want you to feel that way. Hey, No one said all spirits/entities like people are all good… But that is life I guess.
And now that you know what the “Darkness” is, I’m sure you’re asking ‘ok, why do I believe that?’ Good question. I myself have had my bouts of dark periods, some because of life issues like relationships lost loved ones, etc. But I feel there is a difference between the “Darkness” and dark periods of life. I believe the dark periods help open a door in our lives for the “Darkness” to come in and take hold in some cases with disastrous results. Think about this for a moment, you are at your lowest point in life and something that feeds or uses negative energy (Feelings or emotions) as power, will feed off that and in most cases unless the cord is cut will continue to feed, until there is nothing left to feed off of, an energy vampire if you will.
So how do I separate the two, dark periods & the “Darkness”? I reflect on my inner self and the life I’m leading. I suppose for some that would lead to a higher belief in things – God, Spirits, maybe religion in general, but something bigger than just you or me, or maybe nothing at all. If you can honestly look at your life and see no issues, I mean HONESTLY – NO HOLDING BACK, and then you can easily see that maybe just maybe something, someone is trying to contact you. Tell you something, maybe they need help, maybe they want to help you, sometimes to just use you, but in the end it’s your life take control of it!
This idea isn’t meant to scare or to force a view point, just make you think. That’s what I am I thinker, as I’ve been reminded of by my dear Chris time and time again. I encourage everyone when they are in a dark period or the “Darkness” to get help, talk to a friend or whomever you’re comfortable with to get help, feed the positive in your life – Leading a positive life, will keep the negatives away more often the not. The “Darkness” will never go away, but at least we all can work to bring light into it….
My name is Dan LaFave and I am the Founder/Lead Investigator of my paranormal organization/research team Graveyard Shift Paranormal Investigations based in Harlingen, Texas.
Explain your Methodology?
Our team Methodology involves using various scientific sophisticated equipment as a means of investigating and confirming the existence of paranormal activity. We are continually researching and developing new things to add as to this equipment and also are constantly searching for new devices that will aid us in our paranormal research. Also as to using strict debunking methods as to explaining and ruling out any natural occurrences that may be happening. We do a very strict analyzing procedure on all acquired possible evidence and do a thorough review of everything before presentation to the public or clients on anything. Our goals are to help people dealing with the paranormal in their everyday lives and to also acquire more evidence of ghosts and hauntings to confirm to the public world that they are indeed real and happening to people.
Favorite Haunts?
Really don’t have any favorite haunts because have done so many places over the years and quite a few are very interesting…….but have to admit that investigating Yorktown Hospital in Yorktown, Texas was very exciting because of all the paranormal activity that occurs within the confines of the hospital.
Personal Experiences
This again is a hard question for me to answer because as a paranormal investigator with several years experience doing this, I have seen a lot and have had a lot of strong paranormal personal experiences. It was personal experiences that I had several years ago that led me to want to explore the paranormal world of ghosts and hauntings more. I had stayed in a very haunted hotel and had several experiences there that really drew me to want to do this more on a professional level and help other people understand the paranormal world of ghosts and hauntings better.
Why was the group was formed?
My group was formed as a means of having a very professional paranormal team/organization in the lower South Texas region. There also was another big reason this organization was formed. I had been the lead investigator on other well established paranormal teams in the San Antonio, Texas area before for several years. I also was the Team Manager of a well established TAPS family member team in San Antonio. My wife and I had to move from San Antonio to Harlingen in October 2008 due to her taking a High School teacher position here. We did not want to give up what we loved doing as to the paranormal considering I already had several years professional experience investigating the paranormal, so my wife and I decided to form Graveyard Shift Paranormal right away in October 2008 and it was established. We are also very successful now as to this organization having done many investigation cases here in the Texas Valley and South Texas region.
What’s Next?
This is a good question, because we have a few very big projects on the boards right now. We are in the process of filming a pilot for a new paranormal show of which I cannot give details yet. We do filming very soon. We are also working with some other very important well-known paranormal people at the moment and will be filming a documentary next month involving a demonic possession case and a rite of exorcism, this will all be documented and shown on the documentary which I speculate will later be released. A lot of work still to be done involving that and it is confidential at this time as the people involved. We also will be appearing at Texas Ghost Show in Beaumont, Texas later this week with all our paranormal community friends.
Strongest Evidence with link to it?
I over the years as a professional experienced paranormal investigator have again done several hundred client cases over a span of several years and have seen and experienced a lot as a paranormal investigator. I also have acquired a lot of paranormal evidence during that time, which a lot of it I consider strong as to confirmation of paranormal activity. Every investigator considers the capture of apparitions and possible poltergeist activity to be the sought after evidence. I had an event occur a few weeks ago in my house where I had my team over and we were just testing equipment in a room in my house. I was just taking random pics of my team and the room with a full spectrum camera. I took about 130 pics that night. Upon looking at pics later, I looked at one very closely because of what was in it. It was a picture with no investigators shown in the pic and was shot directly across the table that our equipment was on. About 3 feet above the table hovering in air was this rectangular object. It had colors, dimension, and size to it. It looked familiar to me, but I could not at moment figure out what it was. The next day I figured out that it was our tv remote control from the next room. Something paranormal in our house which has activity in it had picked up the tv remote and moved it very fast right in front of our faces unnoticed and then placed it back in the next room. I happened to capture the unseen fast motion of this in full spectrum which was truly amazing to me and everyone else on the team.
What’s your most asked Question by people?
My most asked question which am sure that a lot of investigators get all the time from people is how did I get into investigating the paranormal.
Dream Case/Investigation?
There really is no true dream case or investigation for me or my team. I again have investigated so many places and helped so many private clients in their homes over the years, that there again really is no such dream case. You don’t have to walking around in a castle that is several hundred years old or walking around in a spooky old building to run into the paranormal, the paranormal actually happens more frequently in people’s everyday lives than most people think. It is helping the clients deal with the paranormal in their everyday lives that is of the best feeling to us. We go in to confirm if it is there, and then help the client to deal with it afterwards, from start to finish of their case.
Do you think that paranormal shows gives groups like you a bad reputation?
No, I don’t think this to be true at all even though many people will say that. I do however think that certain people on television could have done things better or approached things better as to the paranormal. I am not going to says names, because those people already know who they are from things that have gone around in the paranormal world. Television is entertainment anyway a person sees it. I truly believe that paranormal tv is just starting to really take off and will get much better over time. What we have seen so far with the beginning tv paranormal shows is just that….the beginning of something good. They are just the first to get out there, and getting a paranormal show on tv for someone is just that, a lot of luck and a lot of hard work. We again are working on a new paranormal tv show pilot right now and chances are very good that this will make it and be successful. More details of this will come out later. It will not change the way we are as investigators though….we will still be the same people doing the same things in the paranormal field. We will just have a lot more exposure if this occurs and it becomes successful as to tv audiences.
Tell us a strange but true fact bout your group?
This is a funny question. My whole group is strange and fun lol. You have to be strange and fun as to wanting to experience and see the things more that we want to as to the paranormal lol. The bottom line as to us though is that we are very much the real deal as to deep true paranormal investigators and that we enjoy with a huge passion as to everything we do in the paranormal field each and every day. Our paranormal organization motto always has been “Seeking The Paranormal Truth” and we live by that.
I’m Jim Malliard co founder of Meadville Paranormal Investigation Team. www.mpit.org
Explain your Methodology?
A fair mix of science and spiritual measures are used. Any one tells you anything else, and there lying. Because you can be one of the other, your results will vary too much at this point in time.
Favorite Personal Experiences. The ones that can be confirmed or the next one, they all stay with you.
Why was the group was formed?
Questions about the unknown based off our seven month old and a trip to Gettysburg, he started talking to someone what wasn’t there.
What’s Next?
I don’t know. I just plan on staying true on the quest. No matter what happens in the next few years, our members have the same basic questions I do. The paranormal is more then investigations and sprits. It’s a study every day.
Strongest Evidence with link to it?
Doesn’t currently have any posted, long story. Please be careful to all the groups out there, this can happen to you too.
What’s your most asked Question by people?
Aren’t you scared of going to hell? Religion seems to be questions I get tired of. Cause no matter how I would answer there still right, and I am still going to hell because they have closed minds, but they claim to open.
Dream Case/Investigation?
Every case has there rewards. I prefer a private home to the already been done by TV show places
Do you think that paranormal shows gives groups like you a bad reputation?
Not totally but they do kind of handcuff us. Cause people always asking about equipment you can’t afford or which one of those shows we watch. Well personally I don’t watch any of them. There produced to an entertainment, which I believe is almost making the paranormal a sideshow.
Tell us a strange but true fact about you?
Tough one, I guess I am going with I was at the 2006 MLB all star game.
Who are you?
Chris Smith, SRI member and tour Guide of Ghostly Images in Gettysburg, PA as well as a consultant for Midnight Watchmen.
Explain your Methodology? I follow my gut instincts and use my given gifts to find evidence of the paranormal.
Favorite Haunts?
My home is an old farm house that has constant activity.
Personal Experiences? I’ve had too many to tell and definitely can’t pick a favorite.
Why did you get into paranormal? I grew up in Gettysburg so I have always been into the paranormal. And being who and what I am it’s hard not to be.
What’s Next? Dealing with the paranormal you never know.
Dream Case/Investigation?
Is there any case that isn’t a dream case? Too many to narrow down to just a few.
Do you think that paranormal shows gives groups like you a bad reputation? To a certain extent they make people believe that whenever and wherever you go that is supposedly haunted you will get what you came for. There are many times I go out and get nothing. They make it seem so easy and it’s not.
Tell us a strange but true fact about you? I am not technology savvy, or in other wards I hate technology.
Are you a skeptic or a believer?
Definitely a believer, I’ve had too much happen not to believe.
