Everything begins with an introduction. If we're going to be spending a little time together, then best I introduce myself!
I'm Cat, and I've been a Paranormal Investigator for almost 18 years now. I'm the leader of a Victoria-based team called S.P.I.R.I.T., and we've been together for almost 6 years. Before that, I worked alongside my "Para-mentor" as part of his team. Those are the basics..
My journey into this field began many years before I began investigating, however.
For a large part of my childhood, my Mother worked as what's called a "trance medium"- this could be defined as being a conduit for the voices of spirits. Every Tuesday night, she and my Grandmother, along with a small group of others, conducted "communication circles" where, in a darkened room, lit only by the glow of a small red lamp, my Mother would seat herself in a "cabinet", and would go into a trance-like state, at which time other, discarnate beings would apparently use her voice to communicate with the sitters.
I was a regular attendee at these circles from about age 4 and, far from being frightened by hearing my mother speak in strange voices, and sometimes seemingly in other languages, I was fascinated!
Further adding to my fascination- and possibly as a byproduct of my Mother's work- some unusual things used to sometimes occur in my childhood home. Small objects would be moved when nobody was present, sometimes footsteps would be heard..and I'll never forget the night "something" strummed the strings of the small ukulele I had on a shelf in my bedroom!
I've always been a bookworm, and from the time I was old enough to borrow books from my school library, I started reading voraciously- anything I could find on the subject of ghosts and hauntings. That hasn't changed- I still read everything I can about the Paranormal! These days, I'm not just reading ghost stories though- I'm also learning about not only Investigative techniques and practicalities, but about Parapsychology, and Psi too.
Another contributing factor in my journey was my parents' love of historic homes. A great number of weekends in my childhood were spent visiting and exploring the various National Trust properties in and around Melbourne. I adored my time wandering the opulent rooms of these vast, beautiful old mansions..and here and there, I had the feeling that perhaps the former inhabitants were still present.
It was at this time in my life that I began to conceive of what has become a lifelong passion. I had no idea that there was such a thing as a Paranormal Investigator, but my still-childlike mind had begun to form an idea, a wish..I wanted to spend time in these old places, but without the tour guides or the other tourists present. I had no idea what I would do once there, I simply knew I wanted to be there.
It wasn't until I was in my Twenties that I was finally able to put a name to that childhood wish, when I heard of the existence of Paranormal Investigators. Finally, I knew what I wanted to be! I was fortunate enough to find a very knowledgeable mentor, Gary, who I still jokingly call "Sensei" sometimes, and learn from him and work with him, and the rest is history, as they say!
In my approach to research and investigation, I'm very much what you might call an open-minded sceptic, despite my unusual past and the experiences it provided. I have no firm belief in "survival hypothesis", but I do give it some consideration, as I do equally (or perhaps more so) Psi, and the workings of the human mind.
I believe importance should be accorded to that which presents the strongest supporting evidence..but without experimentation and research, that supporting evidence may never have existed so I also feel it important to continue to experiment, even where no evidence lies as yet..every scientific fact once started as a hypothesis after all!
We all have different beginnings to our journeys- our lives are like shorelines, and each of them are shaped by different waves. My shoreline may seem a strange one to some, but I'm forever grateful for the waves that have shaped the journey I've been on, and am still on!
So anyway- I'm Cat, and it's nice to make your acquaintance! Who are you? and how did you become interested in the paranormal? Where did YOUR journey start? Let me know in comments- I'd be very interested to hear your stories!