I have to apologize for the corny timing of this story. Who isn’t doing a spooky, haunted theme in the days preceding Hallowe’en right? I know, this started off on a bit of a cheesy note, but that all changed after a half hour interview with Robin Bellamy. Robin is an investigator for Paranormal Studies & Investigations Canada (PSICAN), an organization dedicated to the research, study and exploration of a diverse range of topics considered to be “paranormal”. Let’s just say I learned a lot in 30 minutes.
The first lesson (according to Robin) was, every single hospital in this city has a Ghost Report. “What’s that?” I asked, rather spooked. Robin explained that PSICAN keeps a database of all the reported sightings they are contacted about. Now before you get scared about coming in for care, let’s move on quickly to the second important thing I learned from Robin: manifesting as a ghost has more to do with a person’s life than their death. In short, it’s not that the person was killed violently, or is here to do harm. Quite contrary to that Hollywood stereotype, Robin explained that particularly in hospitals, ghosts tend to be staff members who harbor a strong emotional connection to their place of work.
In short, they loved their jobs when they were living, and feel a connection to stay in the place they feel the most comfortable. This is why most ghosts are seen in the home or workplace, and not in the cemetery (most people don’t hang out in cemeteries when they are alive…sorry again Hollywood).
PSICAN data shows that many details of these sightings are consistent with staff as they are wearing period uniforms. The outfits that doctors and nurses wear have changed over time, which helps investigators pinpoint certain decades. They won’t offer any more specifics than that.
I know that some of you reading this are already rolling your eyes with disbelief. Understandable, and truly, I’d be hard pressed to be able to give you hard evidence that ghosts do exist. Even some scientific literature from Sunnybrook has shown that newly bereaved patients often experience hallucinations about the deceased person (Dr. Earl Dunn et al, Can Fam Physician). So are ghosts real, or just figments of our overactive imaginations?
Robin is a believer, because she says she has experienced sightings many times. “So what do ghosts look like?” I asked, imagining a filmy, transparent spook breezing by at the stroke of midnight. Again, apparently, I was completely off the mark. Robin said that in her experience, they look just look you and me. In fact, you may have interacted with one, or walked by one, and never known it. “They can look perfectly normal, but often if you look closely enough, there is something just not right. Like they are standing but there is actually no leg there.”
OK, that seemed very creepy to me. Robin assured me, however, that with most sightings, the predominant emotion of the reporter was actually surprise, not fear. 10 years ago, while investigating a site in the city, Robin did see a ghost. She took a step back and fell over a tricycle. So there you have it, our reaction to the ghost might be the scariest thing about the whole experience. Apparently, they don’t chase the living and they don’t rattle chains. It appears to be a simple case of we fear what we don’t understand. In fact, besides surprise, Robin says the second most commonly reported emotion is feeling peaceful.
At this point in the conversation, my thoughts turned to the dark. Do ghosts prefer it? Why do so many sightings happen at night? Robin explained that there are no more ghosts at night, but we are simply less distracted at night, thus more likely to notice movement or unusual people. When PSICAN formally investigates a location, Robin says they do it during both the day and night.
After meeting the witness(es) and conducting extensive interviews to weed out any questionable motives, the team sets out to take base measurements. Things like barametric pressure and temperature readings, to help determine if so-called “cold spots” are real. As well, they check for audio devices like baby monitors and cell phone towers, notorious for carrying strange noises through the air. They even use some night vision goggles and thermal cameras. “Any luck getting a picture?” I asked. The closest was seeing laser beams being broken by something in the room, said Robin. So the mystery continues.
Until I spoke with Robin, I would have sworn to you that I’ve never seen a ghost, or sighting. Now, I’m not so sure. But it gives me some comfort to know that if ghosts do exist, they aren’t here to hurt me. In some way, it’s comforting to be in a place where even the deceased feel a strong emotional connection to their time here.
Happy Hallowe’en!
