Some homeowners opt for a blessing of their home when they believe there is something there that is not of good intent. The problem is, knowing whether something is playful and harmless and when something means harm to the occupants. Activities like apparitions, orbs in photographs (dust/pollen particles), voices, doors closing, drafts, feelings of being watched are all of a degree that does not harm a person or threaten him, but might unsettle, especially if that person takes all things unknown as signs of ill intent.
As an investigator, the first priority is determining if what is happening is of a paranormal nature. We do not live in these people's homes, so we cannot know what happens every other Tuesday or randomly once every few months. We can only work with what we learn on the night of the investigation and a great deal of that time is interviewing and working to explain doors slamming or lights showing up on ceilings by tampering with the doors and the car lights outside a window.
When we have debunked what we can, we move on to look for evidence that there is something else at work there. This may include video, audio, EMF readings, photographs, and the use of unusual tools like dowsing rods, laser grids, thermal imaging cameras.
Ultimately, when all is said and done the steps have been taken, a homeowner may wish to get rid of the activity and lead a "normal" life again. Investigators can offer options of reframing the experience to realize no harm is done and an amazing quirk of nature is at work that they are lucky enough to witness, having them confront of the unseen and give it its marching orders, or depending on the occupant's belief system, offerings such as sagings and blessings can be explored.
The important factor in a blessing of a home is that the owner's belief system be the driving force. Whether we realize it or not, the mental and emotional condition of the home's occupants is vital to the phenomena. The connection is yet to be understood, whether it is caused by the psyche's of the people, spirits are attracted to emotional energy, or that energy fuels the events.
The same goes for belief systems. Should a home be blessed by a Reverend and the occupant be a Methodist, this can help the mindset of the occupant which in turn affects the activity. We can't know the religious beliefs of any spirits (if spirits are the souls of the dead), but we can imbue the environment with a mindset and belief system that is healing and protective and that is what home blessings provide. They are more for the owner than for the actual activity, as they are a formal statement of a stand being made against the activity and to retain the integrity of the homeowners.
When to call in a blessing is important because as investigators, you do not want to go into a situation without knowing the dynamics of what is going on and offer blessings right off the bat. You want to help the homeowners go through logical steps to determine the need and to either comfort them with natural explanations, work on their perceptions and explanatory style, and determine if genuine activity is occurring. I have known cases where people called in blessings for people experiencing sleep paralysis and vivid dreams. There is no blessing in the world that will work on sleep disorders.
I hope this helped people realize the efficacy of a blessing, but more importantly its place in the order of investigation.
