On June 6 - 8, 2003, the annual New England Ghost Conference was held
at the Comfort Inn, Danvers, Massachusetts, sponsored by
Maine's
Paranormal Research Association.
Friday
On Friday night, guests registered and visited Wadsworth Cemetery in Danvers, the final
resting place of many famous people on both sides of the "Salem Witch Trials." It looks
like a fine cemetery, and the photos included some very respectable orbs.
Saturday
Saturday morning started early as Bill Washell (Director,
MPRA) opened the conference.
I was the speaker for the morning, and I quickly changed the tone of my workshop to suit
experienced ghost hunters. The audience was clearly knowledgeable in this field, and
eager to discuss some of the finer points of paranormal research.
We took a break for lunch, and then heard from Stacey Jones, a very level-headed and
street-smart ghost expert from the Syracuse, New York area. She asked some great
questions, and the audience shared experiences and ideas, helping all of us more clearly
understand this field of work, as well as the challenges that can face us.
Her group,
the Central New York Ghosthunters, is
worth joining if you're in that area.
After another break, Susan Bove gave a superb presentation on EVP. Ms. Bove is
the Director of
South Jersey Paranormal Research.
What impressed me the most was
the clarity and credibility of her EVP recordings. These weren't fuzzy or absurdly-enhanced
attempts to make static sound like speech. These were very clear examples of unexplained
voices, often making comments or requests that were relevant to the context
of the haunting or the setting.
After a dinner break, some of the conference attendees ignored the rain and went on the
Haunted Footsteps Ghost
Tour of Salem, Massachusetts. When we examined the photos afterwards,
there were three very clear manifestations that evening.
Finally, Wadsworth Cemetery was scheduled for later in the evening,
but the weather was too damp for reliable research.
Sunday
Sunday morning's workshop began early in the day. John Zaffis, of the
Paranormal
Research Society of New England, gave a truly fascinating slide presentation about his
research into ghosts and demons.
Although I arrived skeptical of the concepts, his logic and
first-person accounts soon changed my mind. I'd recommend him to anyone who feels that they may
be dealing with demons or possessions.
SUMMARY AND REVIEW
In general, I'd recommend this as one of New England Ghost Conferences as one of
the best conferences for serious ghost hunters. If you want overpriced fluff and tee-shirts,
there are glitzier conferences and conventions. However, for real information without hype,
this group puts together a top-notch conference.
Links:
Central New York Ghosthunters
Haunted Footsteps Ghost
Tour of Salem, Massachusetts
John Zaffis, for
Maine's
Paranormal Research Association
Paranormal
Research Society of New England
South Jersey Paranormal Research
2003 New England
