By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
CRANBURY — Maybe, it’s that constant tapping on the wall, or that unexpected chill down your back. It may be that ball of light that appears in family photos, or the pale woman dressed in 1800s garb standing nearby. Whatever it is, it’s apparent to some that we are not alone.
Nearly 30 people met at the Cranbury Inn on Oct. 24, not just to hear about ghosts and ghouls from New Jersey Ghost Hunters Society founder and director, L’aura Hladik, but to learn the how-to’s of ghost hunting.
The slide-show presentation lasted a little over an hour, was open to the public and was a Cranbury Public Library-sponsored event entitled Ghosts 101.
Ms. Hladik said she was pleased to have been invited to the Inn so close to Halloween. Ms. Hladik had featured some unexplained phenomenon at the inn in her book, “Ghosthunting New Jersey, America’s Haunted Road Trip,” a book that documents her experiences in the haunted haunts throughout the state.
”You always see the Hollywood version,” she said. “We don’t rush in with proton packs. It’s about research and the documentation of ghosts. We’re set up to do it from a more scientific perspective.”
Ms. Hladik talked about devices and tests her organization uses to document paranormal activity, which included electronic voice phenomena, photography, video, thermal scanning and electromotive force readings.
”They are pure energy so they interfere with all of our devices,” she said about the ghosts.
Ms. Hladik brought with her a host of photography samples, showing everything from small balls of lights known as orbs; a vortex, or white tornado-like object; ectoplasmic mist, which tends to have a white cloudy appearance; as well as full body apparitions.
Among her tips for those trying to capture ghosts on camera, Ms. Hladik said she recommends no outside investigations in the rain, snow or fog, in dusty conditions and that camera’s should be free of straps.
Before moving on to the next lesson she heeded a warning to guests: Do not provoke the spirits.
”If you were talking to a fellow human being like that, it would get you in a nasty mood,” she said. “You don’t know what the ramifications could be.”
She also presented voice recordings from the beyond, the most spine-tingling of which documented the voice of a young girl humming and singing a morose song.
But searching out the spirit world is not all about the toys and readings, Ms. Hladik reminded attendees.
Historical research, digging through deeds, newspaper archives or town hall records, usually gives a basis for a haunting, a story that helps investigators understand why a spirit remains earth bound.
There are several reasons for this she explained, one being that the ghost may have unfinished business, another is that they have no idea they’ve died and continue on a random pattern over and over, still another is that they figure being earth-bound must be better than hell-bound, as they expect that will be their final destination and the last is that they may be restrained from moving on because of a loved one’s grief.
”Everyone has an idea in their head of what a ghost is,” she said. “I guess (the soul) is supposed to go somewhere in a perfect situation. A ghost is the surviving spirit essence that was once encased in a vehicle known as the body.”
One man made the trek from Manalapan to attend Ms. Hladik’s presentation, saying that he had not only caught orbs at the inn during previous visits but had almost been pushed down the stairs there.
”I know it’s real,” said Erik Hollenbach. “I’ve had experiences since I was a little kid.”
Ms. Hladik, said she welcomes not only the believers but the critics.
”Skeptics are great,” Ms. Hladik said. “They ask the question: How can I make this appear again? I find blind faith believers are much more dangerous.”
