Sometimes people want to start doing Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) work but don’t want to have to meander on down to their haunted house, so they wonder if it is safe to do them at home. In this lengthier post I address safe ways to do EVP work without having to leave your home.

Before I begin, I have to say that the idea that Spirit communication can only happen in haunted or spooky locations is absurd. In fact, if a place is known to be haunted, there may not even be a spirit present. Hauntings are the result of what is called ‘place memory’ or ‘residual imprints.’ These are essentially echoes or recordings of past events from living people that for some reason are still perceptible and can sometimes also be caught on audio recordings (there seems to be a geomagnetic association to these recordings but that’s for another post). As a result of these imprints, we need to be careful not to assume that just because we have an EVP that it is from an intelligent and interacting spirit.

Spirit communication can and does happen anywhere. Mediums do not need to go to a haunted house or a graveyard to connect with a departed loved one. For them, most of their connections happen in their home, where they typically work. Sometimes the communications happen when they are at the grocery store, getting their hair and nails done, or even just going for a walk. Spirits do not congregate in some special location and wait for the living to come visit. They can find us wherever we are. And, since EVP work is simply another form of spirit communication, then it can happen anywhere – including in your home.

What we need to know though about doing this type of work at home is that we should be careful. For example, mediums typically work in a specific space, during set times of the day, and have well established boundaries with the spirits. They also have learned over time to only connect with loving and positive spirits and mediums have also established some ‘spiritual safety protocols.’ Mediums are also capable of feeling the energy and type of spirit they are connecting with, thus ensuring the spirit is there for the right reasons and with the right intentions.

If someone wants to do EVP work at home then at the very least they need to make sure it is done in a set location and only during certain times. This helps the spirits know that if they want to connect with us then they need to do it in our designated space and times. Violations of this boundary are disrespectful and should not be taken lightly. That’s not to say a spirit may not try to get our attention outside of our ‘office hours,’ but if they do, it should be for a very good reason and not simply to pester or disrespect our private time and space.

If we do EVP work at home then we also want to ensure that we are not just asking anyone to come on by. We wouldn’t open our front door to any stranger off the street that passes by, so don’t do this with spirits. We need to set an intention for who we want to talk to and make sure it is someone we would want to invite into our home. It may be a loved one, a spiritual guide or helper, or maybe someone for a friend. We may want to ask someone we admire such as a departed scientist, artist, musician, or historical figure. Don’t just let anyone into your physical home or your spiritual home!

If we do EVP work at home, we also should set up some spiritual safety protocols. Mediums have an established safety network around them. This includes people in spirit who assist them but also who help keep them safe and only allow people of the appropriate intent to connect with them. That is not to say that mediums never encounter troubled or disruptive spirits. In fact, some specialize in working with these types of spirits, but even in these cases they still have developed ways for dealing with these types of people. I have to be honest that it can be difficult to establish safety protocols if you are doing EVP work. I mean you really can’t control who stops by, but you can ask your Spiritual Helpers to assist you. Not to mention, if you are connected with them, ask if it’s even a good idea that you do this type of work. Keeping your Spiritual Team nearby, saying prayers, and even making the right intentions for your connections can all help but as always, this is never a guarantee.

Developed mediums understand how to manage their space and energy and to protect themselves. For this reason, sometimes it is suggested that people without any Psi awareness may want to refrain from dealing with spirits on any level – including EVP work. This is not because spirit communication is bad or wrong, but because doing the work properly and safely takes time, practice, and knowledge. A general warning is often given to those who want to dabble in spirit communication because it can set them up for some unwanted experiences they may not be prepared for or are fully ready to deal with.

If we want to proceed with EVP work at home but have little psi awareness, then actions such as prayer, meditation, or even some positive intention rituals or ceremonies can be helpful. These are not some ‘magical’ acts we perform but rather they simply help set the tone and intention for only positive and safe events to occur. In other words, we aren’t going to just invite anyone. We aren’t going to ask Charles Manson to show up and we aren’t going to ask for some spirit to scare us or move stuff in our house. We only set our intentions for those spirits that want to help us learn and grow.

Perhaps we will light a candle and read from a religious text. Maybe we will say a prayer or read a poem focused on love and enlightenment. Maybe we will sage or play some light music to set the tone (turned off once the EVP session begins). It doesn’t matter the action we perform, what matters is why we do it and what we want and expect from it. A simple prayer to God for safety and guidance and only what is for our highest good may be all that is needed. The later has always served me better than anything else.

If we do EVP work at home, we also should be prepared for a wide range of experiences and to avoid fear and leaping to conclusions.  It is common that someone wants spirit communication but then when it actually happens they become scared or make assumptions about what they hear.

For example, if we hear a voice telling us to ‘get out’ or ‘I hate you’ then how are we going to react to this. If we do EVP work, then we have to be prepared for a wide range of responses and to not let these upset us or cause us to leap to conclusions about what they mean. If you can’t handle potential negative interactions without fear, then I would caution against it. Not that negative experiences are the norm, because for me, they haven’t been. However, there have been a few occasions where something seemed less than positive, but I simply brushed it off as some grumpy guy having a bad day and then I moved on.

If we get an EVP that says ‘get out’ then we have to take this with a grain of salt. We can’t get frightened and we may need to simply ignore these without another passing thought. Unless there was context for this comment, I personally would ignore it and just move on – even if it continued. My focus is only on those spirits that are good and are willing to be kind and helpful. On the other hand, if there was a fire surrounding the spirit or in the home, then perhaps the ‘get out’ wasn’t ominous but rather something about the fire. In the same way, perhaps ‘I hate you’ is a reference to a relationship that existed while the spirit was alive. It does not necessarily mean that hate is current or directed at the person listening, although it could be, but that doesn’t make it anything more than a statement of how the spirit feels.

It is the fear and lack of experience that gets people into trouble!

If we do EVP work at home, it may take some time before we start to get results, or, we may never get any results at all. When I first began doing EVP work I received very few. This was most likely a combination of an untrained ear but also because I believe that spirits work with those who truly mean to do the work. I believe that I had to build an “EVP reputation” with the spirits just as mediums do. As a result, we may find that our initial sessions yield few results, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have success over time. Like anything else, if we really want to succeed we have to learn, be dedicated, and patient. (I write more about this in the post Why I Get So Many EVP’s & How You Can Too!)

It may be possible, however, that we will never get any results. If this is the case, don’t be upset. There may be a higher reason involved. Maybe it is not a good fit for us. Maybe it is the wrong time or the wrong conditions. Maybe there is something else we are meant to do. For example, I had a friend who used a particular spirit communication tool for connecting with her spiritual helpers. It worked so well for her that I tried it as well but with absolutely no luck at all. I was frustrated and mad until I started to hear from my Spiritual Helpers that my goal was to learn to listen and trust my own inner Intuition and not to rely on spiritual tools. I wasn’t happy about this and felt a little cheated, but in the end, I am far better because of it. Sometimes we want something to go a certain way but it may not be in our best interest.

If we do EVP work at home, take it seriously but don’t become obsessed. There’s nothing wrong with being passionate about a hobby. When we undertake doing EVP work then we should take it seriously, but we also need to be cautious not to get lost in the psychic and spiritual realms. We are living an earthly life and need to stay focused on the here and now. Stay grounded!

EVP work is fascinating and intriguing and was an integral part of helping me to believe in the survival of consciousness beyond death, so I would never discourage anyone else from that exploration. Not only do paranormal investigators use EVP work to help their clients, but some mediums even use EVP work in conjunction with their readings. As a result, these endeavors should have meaning and purpose and not simply be random amusements for a scare or a thrill. This lack of focus and intention for our EVP work can also potentially contribute to some less than positive results or none at all.

I would also encourage those who want to pursue EVP work at home to read and study – not just from those who are in the paranormal and psychic community but also from the scientific and technical community. I am no sound engineer so I won’t be analyzing how the EVP occurs, but there are certainly some sound specialists out there who love to do this type of work. Explore what they have to offer as well as the various parapsychological organizations that discuss the pros and cons of EVP’s. For example, there are many arguments that EVP’s are merely a result of living agent PK – in other words, the EVP is there because of the living not the deceased. I particularly don’t agree with this conclusion however the argument is quite sound and therefore deserves exploration.

If you find yourself truly fascinated with the technology, then you may also want to explore ITC – Instrumental Transcommunication. There are a host of sites and books on the topic as ITC has been around since the invention of these devices. People use cameras, video, phones, computers, and televisions as communication devices. Just remember though, despite the amazing content that may be acquired through ITC, it is typically dismissed due to Pareidolia, external transmission contamination, or living agent PK. Studies in controlled environments have failed to produce results, so EVP’s and other electronic communications have been dismissed as proof of survival. Nevertheless, I personally find that just because they cannot be reproduced in a lab does not mean some EVP’s are not valid. (See my post on A Quality EVP & Why It Demonstrates Survival.)

As I close, I will say to avoid any research using Wikipedia or other mainstream resources. Such sites express “currently accepted” views. In fact, Wikipedia openly allows the group Guerilla Skeptics to freely edit any posts they do not agree with. This is not scientific or objective but a personal opinion. Instead, I would highly recommend people utilize the Psi Encyclopedia. Here the information is posted by scientists and academia objectively exploring psi-related topics.

So, if you decide to do EVP’s at home, just be aware of some of the ramifications of the work. Make sure you set the right intentions and invite the right folks. Limit your time and control your sessions but do the work with sincerity and a desire for learning and healing.

If you have any questions or want additional resources for EVP work feel free to reach out and I may be able to point you in the right direction.

Cheers & Wellness,

Carol