The Paranormal Blog

"I need to be a part of your team and you need me!"
Quote from one of 4 similar e-mails sent to us this past week

I know I've covered this before, but things change... and probably the most important change is that we finally have a clear-set rules of governance posted that may help people... but allow me to explain from the beginning...

Many people write in to us and ask to "join the team". Everyone has their own reasons... perhaps they had an experience and want to look into things with a group... some have visions of our work being just like what they've seen on television... some want to experience a thrilling time... some feel they have answers or abilities that would be useful to us... to be honest, there's many reasons... and all of them valid at the time of the request.

This said, the breakdown of our group and being a part of the team works this way...

First and foremost, we're Canadian and based in Canada... If you're from another country, our best advice is a good ol' Google search to find an organisation if available within your area of the world.

For those in Canada who want to work with us, start with the item below...

~ Rules of Governance ~

Please read this document (click here)... It's short and lays out who we are and what we'll do... as well as what we won't do.

~ Cryptozoology ~

If you're interested in looking into cryptozoology, contact Robin at PSICAN... You'll find her contact e-mail on this page (click here) and inquire with her.

~ Ufology ~

If you'd like to look into UFO and related topics, there's two possibilities... One is to work with an established PSICAN investigator or group, or in some cases, work as a PSICAN ufological investigator/researcher.

The best way to be a part of this study through PSICAN (and it's colleague groups,) is to join our message board and get to know the people we work with who are interested in the UFO phenomena as well. Our message board is located at...

http://www.psican.org/messagecentre/
...and is moderated to keep things on topic. Your contact information (and any personal information used to "sign up",) is kept strictly confidential by ourselves. The VIP code to sign up is 1967

Once you do that, find the UFO portions of the board and have a read and join the discussions if you'd like. As stated, if you get to know the team there and perhaps state your interest in "looking into things", one of the PSICAN team leaders will send you details.

~ Psychic/Mind Abilities ~

Right now, although we do have some experiments and tests going on, this is an area we hope to branch into when we have proper facilities for testing. (Right now, PSICAN is strictly "online".)

As stated, however, there are some things we're working on and if you're interested, as with our ufology team, it's best to join our message board where there are sections devoted to psychical and related topics. Our message board is located at...

http://www.psican.org/messagecentre/
...and is moderated to keep things on topic. Your contact information (and any personal information used to "sign up",) is kept strictly confidential by ourselves. The VIP code to sign up is 1967

~ Fortean Topics ~

Like the above fields, although we're interested in Fortean events, it's difficult being strictly "online" to give this study what it needs in terms of resources. Again, it's best to join our message board where there are discussions of Fortean elements ongoing. Our message board is located at...

http://www.psican.org/messagecentre/
...and is moderated to keep things on topic. Your contact information (and any personal information used to "sign up",) is kept strictly confidential by ourselves. The VIP code to sign up is 1967

~ Ghosts and Hauntings ~

This by far is currently the one most people are chomping at the bit to be a part of. It's also the area that there are a lot of group and investigators already involved. There are only two ways of becoming a part of PSICAN's team within this field...

The first is to check our list of affiliated groups and find a group that's located nearest you... then see if they're looking for volunteers and/or help. You can view this page by clicking here.

Subtext: Ontario and Toronto GHRS...

Now, I'm going to be rather specific here... mostly because I'm the founder and one of the current directors of Torontoghosts/Ontarioghosts... and I want to let people know what we do in terms of new folks as BRIEFLY as possible...

#1: If the person interested in joining our team has read our Rules of Governance and Mission Statement carefully and still wish to be a part of the group...

#2: ...they should then read our free online course which some people don't feel is necessary because either they "know all that stuff" or don't care about our methods as they have their own... which is a shame, because in order to be a part of our team, we need to know you're on the same page as the rest of us, so to speak, and you'll need to pass a...

#3: ...free online examination which is linked at the bottom of the page found here (click here) which is based on the free course. If you pass the exam, you're brought on board with the team... if you don't pass the exam, then you must wait until the following December when the new exam is released and try again.

Caveat #1: We don't put up or allow the exams to be taken between late August and mid-December because, sadly, too many people get into the "Halloween Spirit" and sign up only to lose interest by the time Christmas comes along... so to ensure our team is genuinely wanting to be active and working on the study throughout the year, we close the exam during this time. If you're REALLY interested and try to sign-up during this time to find the exam has been removed, we're hoping you'll wait... and understand our position... and we do apologise.

Caveat #2: We don't use psychics, sensitives, or mediums as a "front line" investigative tool in our work. We are documentarians first and foremost. You may have "special abilities" or "gifts" and you may wish to help us with them, but all volunteers have to go through the same process regardless... and indeed, if you do come on board, we may ask that sometimes, you only note your findings with any "gifts" and present them later...

Caveat #3: IN ALL HONESTY... If you think we're like ANY paranormal television show, we are most absolutely not. We are students of this study... and don't operate solely at night nor are we only in "haunted houses", prisons, cemeteries, or the like. If this is what you were hoping for, I guarantee that we're not the group for you.

Caveat #4: Bypassing or missing ANY of the steps above may seem like a good "short-cut", but keep in mind it demonstrates to us a lack of reading, observational, and retention skills necessary for the work we do.

So, with this all in mind, if you want to be a part of the Torontoghosts/Ontarioghosts team, these are rather important steps and considerations... and we hope if we are a "good fit", you'll be a part of our group!

~ All Other Topics Considered "Paranormal" ~

There are more than a few other subjects that people might feel fit into the category of "paranormal", but the above ones (Crypto, Ufology, Fortean, Ghosts, and Psychic Abilities,) are our main focus.

That said, and going back to something that's been a stand-by here, but it is true, if you do wish to discuss a topic I may have missed and perhaps work with us to look into it, join our message board...

http://www.psican.org/messagecentre/
...which is sectioned and moderated to keep things on topic... and we do have places for pretty much all matters of interest! Your contact information (and any personal information used to "sign up",) is kept strictly confidential by ourselves. The VIP code to sign up is 1967

So there you have it... The more-or-less definitive guide to joining in our study with us.