NSPIR

It’s always interesting to me how fashion is cyclical, and not just clothing fashion or car fashion, but entertainment fashion.  In the late 80’s to mid-90’s, shows about the paranormal were popular.  Sightings and Unsolved Mysteries are a few examples.  Eventually these shows fell out of favor with the viewing audiences.  Now the paranormal is back in style.  With “reality” shows like Ghost Hunters, Psychic Kids, and Paranormal State as well as entertainment series such as Medium and Ghost Whisper an interest in the paranormal these days is… well… normal.  FINALLY!  I’m in style for a change.

Since this blog is dedicated to Triangle area charities and volunteer organizations, it seems only fair to cover a volunteer organization of which I happen to be a member: NSPIR.  NSPIR stands for the National Society for Paranormal Investigation and Research.  In viewing our website, you will see that we are not ghost hunters out looking for a quick thrill. 

We DO NOT use Ouija boards, conduct seances, cast spells, or use other "mystical" means to conjure, summon or manifest spirits.  Our approach to every investigation is done in accordance with scientific principles, and in a respectful and professional manner.  All information collected is analyzed carefully, peer reviewed and is available for public review, with respect to our client's confidentiality.  Our staff is committed to providing the best possible service for our clients and hold the highest regard for their privacy, peace of mind and property, as required by our CODE OF PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL CONDUCT.

NSPIR is a 501 (c) (3) all volunteer, non-profit organization.  We do not charge for our investigations.  In fact, the philosophy is that charging home or business owners for an investigation into paranormal claims is a highly questionable practice. In order to defray the cost of our specialized equipment, we accept tax deductible donations. 

Speaking for myself, I have to say that I am proud to be a member of NSPIR.  We take our investigations seriously.  We conduct our investigations in a professional manner, and our members include scientists, educators and individuals with highly technical knowledge.  We are lucky enough to be in the same “neighborhood” as the Rhine Research Center, which means that we have an educational resource available to us just down the road.  In addition, as part of NSPIR’S outreach, we have a monthly meet-up group, CHAPS (Carolina Hauntings, Apparitions, and Poltergeists Society) , whose meetings focus on educating the curious on how to properly conduct investigations and just what the topic of paranormal entails. If you are interested in joining NSPIR, you really should attend a few CHAPS meetings first. 

Once NSPIR has conducted an investigation and briefed the clients on our findings, many are posted on our website in the Investigation Gallery.  Of course, posting the findings is done with complete respect to the clients privacy.  You will not find family names and locations unless the client specifically gives permission.  In the gallery, you can look through photos and listen to audio from past investigations.  You may recognize a few nationally known sites such as the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington and the Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh.  In fact, the city of Raleigh has granted NSPIR the 2-year contract do be the exclusive investigative group for Mordecai.  NSPIR has agreements with other towns to do investigations and ghost walks, which are quite popular.

So what is NSPIR looking for during an investigation?  We are after data, audio anomalies such as electronic voice phenomena, photo and video anomalies, and personal experiences.  The ultimate catch would be all of these things happening at once and corroborating the claims of the building’s owner.  The more useful data that we can add to the pool of knowledge in this field the better our theories about explanations for the paranormal will become.  So even when the current round of popular paranormal TV shows have been canceled and television viewers have become obsessed with other topics, NSPIR and groups like us will still be here – cool and fashionable, or not.