What is ghost hunting and why has this quest become so popular? The constant search for spirits, or some sort of proof of the existence of survival of human consciousness after death has been a quest since the Victorian era, and even ages before! Mediums and ghost hunters have become a dime a dozen and paranormal television shows and books flood daily into the mainstream media with popularity soaring as high as Western religious movements. But why? What is it the world is looking for?
This popularity stems from something more than entertainment alone. Science of the human soul continues to disillusion humanity, and the rise of religious communities, cults, spiritualism, materialism and everything in between continue to escalate and attempt to fill the void. Herman Hesse writes in his work Siddhartha, “after all, the world was sick, life was hard to bear- and behold, here a source seemed to spring forth, here a messenger seemed to call out, comforting, mild, full of noble promises.”
It is universal for humanity to want to believe that we as humans are something special, that there is something in us that is separate from the biological constraints of life. The belief in soul or consciousness can provide the noble promise that Siddhartha searched the world for. Rene Descartes said, “I think; therefore, I am,” a quote that has become widely used among those who proclaim the existence of consciousness.
It all comes down to a simple belief that we are more than our physical self. Life itself becomes more than just a day to day drudgery. Again, Hesse writes, “What is meditation? What is leaving one’s body? What is fasting? What is holding one’s breath? It is fleeing from the self, it is a short numbing of the senses against the pain and the pointlessness of life.” Survival of human consciousness brings some sort of meaningful purpose to even the most mundane life. Dogmatic religions, addictions, slavery, materialism and everything else lose their grip on humanity.
Finding proof of survival of consciousness soothes the fear that nothing exists beyond our short lives, that this is all there is, leaving room for enlightenment and soul sought experiences rather than the grab what you can now cycle we face so often in our western culture. This too, the meaningless toils of life for those who lost hope suddenly find it, for if there is human consciousness and life beyond, thus too, there must be something greater than ourselves. With this belief allows for hope; life can change, we are all connected and not alone, we will see those loved ones again, there is a consequence to those heinous crimes committed, there is forgiveness, there is room for growth and enlightenment, there is spiritual connectivity, there is a greater good outside of ourselves worth striving for. These are just a few of what seeps out of the darkness with the allowance of the survival of human consciousness after death.
As we continue to search for the existence of life after death, whether it be through an Ouija board, a medium or some other version of spiritualism, consider the implications of what it is you seek. You might be surprised by what you might find hidden in the shadows of your mind. More importantly, how does it change you?
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