According to a Visionary Living, Inc. article by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, full moons may “dampen” paranormal activity.
The earth expands 1/16 of an inch during the full moon’s gravitational pull. The expansion is caused by the movement of magma chambers below the earth’s surface. These movements affect the earth’s magnetic fields. Many paranormal hot spots are in areas of negative magnetic anomalies. Thus, an increase in magnetic fields is likely to have an adverse impact on paranormal activity.
Actually, neither the precise full moon nor new moon may be the best times for the paranormal.
Therefore, I guess it stands to reason that paranormal activity is probably not affected anymore by a supermoon than a regular full moon.
I’d be really curious to hear from paranormal investigators who tend to investigate the same places over and over. Do they notice any difference in paranormal activity during various lunar cycles? And what about investigators in general, whether they investigate the same place or not. Do they notice investigations are more quiet during full moons?
I would have thought a full moon, and definitely a supermoon, would be a great time for increased paranormal activity. Although, I tend to believe full moons affect people’s behaviors. And since ghosts were once people, their spirits would still be susceptible to the moon’s influence.
However, I read a great ABCnews.com article called Moon Myths and Madness: Why Do We Believe? It referenced a study that showed even though nurses and police report more chaos and aggressive behavior during full moons, research doesn’t bear that out. There’s really not evidence to support the claim that people get more nuts during a full moon.
I find it very hard to believe. Even without looking at the sky, I can usually tell when a full moon is approaching based on the way people start driving. Or, rather, forgetting how to drive properly.
What do you think? Do you believe full moons influence people too? Are you an investigator? Have you investigated during a full moon? What’s been your experience with that? And what did you think of May 2012’s supermoon? Were you able to see it and enjoy it?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
There is always an old wives tail that full moons bring madness, but I’ve worked on psychiatric floors for years and never seen any increase in admissions or abnormal behavior that correlates to the stages of the moon. That being said, the moon was amazing last night and I can see why people would want to attribute magic and power to it. I certainly wanted to. It was stunning.
This is SUPER interesting, Jessica. Thanks for sharing your perspective. I’ve talked to some nurses and an EMT I know, and they all swear the moon does influence and brings out the nuts. But then a cop I know said, “Naw. People like to think that, but I don’t see it.” Now you’re weighing in with that too. Very interesting. There are studies that show there aren’t more crimes committed or people admitted to hospitals and stuff so…. It may just seem like people are kookier because some of us want it to be. Thanks for sharing your experience.
On the very good authority of innumerable taxi drivers I’ve conducted a random survey with over the years, the full moon brings out the psychos. Whether or not that means spirits are more active is unclear!
I was a nurse for many years….unlike the comment above we could ALWAYS tell when there was a full moon. Many things would happen, people who never got out of bed would get up and walk – sometimes out of the facility. I never “believed” in the power of the full moon until I took the 11-7 shift for a year – I now BELIEVE! I do not have to look at a calendar or see the fullness of the moon to tell that it is ‘nearing’. I do not sleep well – even on cloudy rainy full-moon nights.
Oh, Red and Sandi, THANK YOU for your input! It’s interesting…I never thought of getting the taxi driver’s perspective. They certainly are as clued in on human behavior as medical people and law enforcement! And Sandi, this is interesting that as a nurse you did see things. I’m now wondering if maybe the full moon calms less sane people, or has a calming effect on them, but does the reverse for “normal” people? Thanks for sharing your observation and input!
The way I look at it is this: we’re all connected, people and the planet. So a change in one, no matter how subtle, will affect the other. It might not be a measurable change but there would be a change. BTW, doesn’t the moon also affect sea levels? And if it can affect sea levels, it can affect us.
My sense is that it would affect paranormal activity, but I’m wondering if I’ve been influenced by watching too many vampire movies. Lol!