A through G

Amorphous
Having no definite form or shape. Spirits often appear in mist-like forms.



Angels
A spiritual being created by God to serve as a messenger to man. Angels can be good or bad. Demons still carry the title of Angels.


Anti-Christ
Satan. The opposite of Christ. Many feel that the Anti-Christ will be seen as a man whose appearance will mark the end of the world.


Apport
Arrival of objects, either animate or inanimate during a seance or a haunting. Apports are sometimes made of teeth, hair, feces or vomit of either an animal or human.


Archangel
Higher order of Angels. St. Michael and St. Gabriel are two of the Angels who battled Lucifer and his legions. Lucifer still carries the title of Archangel.


Asport
Disappearance of objects that reappear elsewhere.


Astral Projection
When the spirit travels outside of the body either to the astral plane or another location on this plane. Also known as out of body experience. (See remote viewing.)


Aura
An emanation of energy which surrounds all living things. Many with psychic abilities are able to see and interpret this energy. Can be viewed through the use of Kirlian photography. It is felt that our physical health is reflected in our auras.


Automatic Writing
Phenomena in which people write without conscious thought. Many feel that it is spirits writing through the body of a living person. Parapsychologists feel that the phenomena is due to automatism.


Automatism
The theory in which the subconscious communicates with the conscious by means of a vehicle such as a Ouija board, automatic writing or pendulum swinging.


Baptism
Christian sacrament of initiation into the church. This is done to absolve the person being baptized from original sin. A mild form of exorcism.



Benign Spirit
A spirit that is not evil or harmful to man. Angels and spirit guides fall into this category as would spirits of loved ones that come back to tell us something. Elementals are benign spirits.


Bilocation
When an object is seen in two locations at the same time. Padre Pio was said to exhibit bilocation.


Black Magic
Magic used for evil often with the intent of injuring or killing someone. It may also be done for the personal gain of the practitioner.


Black Mass
Performed by Satanists; this is a mock of the Catholic Mass. Black candles are used instead of white ones. Also, many Christian prayers are read backwards and blood is usually drunk at these ceremonies.


Cherubim
Order of Angel, celestial being usually depicted as a beautiful, winged child. Occasionally depicted as being half human and half animal. They are rated second in the hierarchy of Angels.
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Circumambulation
Ceremonially surrounding an object or living thing for the purpose of protection.


Clairaudient
Psychic ability to hear sounds or voices inaudible to the normal ear.


Clairsentient
Psychic ability to feel things not normally felt by most people.


Clairvoyant
Psychic ability to see persons or events which are distant. Children are naturally clairvoyant up to the age of 12.


Conjuring
Any attempt to call upon spirits to help the living, usually for the purpose of personal gain or to harm someone.


Coven
A group of occult practitioners. Covens usually consist of 13 people.


Curse
To speak a wish of evil against someone or call down forces to hurt someone.


Deep Trance Medium
A psychic who allows a spirit to enter his/her body so that a spirit may communicate with the living.
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Deliverance
Christian ritual designed to rid a person of negative forces or influence. Exorcism.


Dematerialization
The sudden disappearance of an item. An asport


Demon
An evil, inhuman spirit bent on the destruction of man.


Demonic
Anything caused by demons


Demonologist
One who studies demons and their actions.


Demonology
The study of demons.


Devil
Lucifer or Satan, the leader of the fallen angels banished from Heaven. It is believed by many that a hierarchy exists, as in heaven, of demons and devils with Satan being the leader. Devils are more powerful than demons.


Diabolical
Any action caused by the devil. Extremely atrocious or inhuman


Discarnate
Spirit existing without a physical body.


Discernment
To perceive or feel using the mind or senses.


Disembodied
Spirit functioning without a body.


Disembodied Voice
A voice heard that comes from no physical body. Also known as EVP.


Divination
Obtaining knowledge of the unknown or the future by contacting forces outside of nature usually spiritual in nature.


Ectoplasm
A substance which emanates from the body of a medium during a trance. This often appears as a mist like substance.
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Elementals
Spirits of the earth. Elementals are benign, almost angelic spirits who watch over the four elements, air-sylphs, earth-gnomes, fire-salamanders, and water nymphs. Also, lesser spirits of nature are called undines.


Electromagnetic Field
A field propagated by a combination of electric and magnetic energy which radiates from radio and light waves to gamma and cosmic rays. It is believed that when spirits manifest, they create an electromagnetic field.


EMF Detector
An instrument that measures electromagnetic energy. Also known as a Gauss Meter or magnetometer.


ESP
Extra sensory perception. A parapsychological term to denote awareness apparently received through channels other than the natural senses.


Evil
Malignant, malicious. Acts whose sole purpose is to do harm to mankind and, therefore, God himself.


Evil Spirits
Spirits whose sole purpose for existence is to hurt or destroy mankind.


E.V.P.
Electronic voice phenomena. Voices captured on magnetic audio tape when no one is present. It is believed that these voices are from spirits attempting to communicate with living people.


Exorcism
Ritual designed to free someone from the possession of a demon or devil. Deliverance. An exorcism can also be performed on a dwelling or place.


Exorcist
One who performs exorcisms. In most cases, exorcists are ordained ministers of their particular religion.


Gauss Meter
An instrument which measures electromagnetic fields. Also call EMF detectors or magnetometers..
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Ghost
Generic term to describe a deceased person or image appearing to the living. Animals and even inanimate objects, like buildings, can also be ghosts.


Ghost Lights
Lights which sometimes appear in haunted houses or in some cases, woods. Not necessarily evil, these lights are often photographed by psychic researchers.


Globule
A tiny sphere of electromagnetic energy. Spirits often appear on film as globules. Also known as orbs. These are not always perfect circles


Grimoire
A book of spells and rituals designed to conjure spirits.


Guardian Angels
These are Angels who are assigned to protect all living creatures. Each person is said to have their own Guardian Angel.

H through Psychic Cold

Haunted
A person or place to which negative spirits are attached. These spirits can be human or inhuman in nature.



Haunting
State of existence under which a spirit, human or inhuman, has attached itself to a person, place or area.


Holy Water
Water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy. Holy water is said to have the ability negate negative forces.


Human Sacrifice
The act of killing a person during a satanic ritual. Animals are often sacrificed as well.


Human Spirit
The spirit of a person who has lived in the physical plane. These spirits can be earthbound for a number of reasons.


Incubus
A demon that sexually assaults females during a psychic attack.



Infestation
Condition which occurs when evil spirits inhabit a location. Infestation in a person is called possession.


Inhuman Spirit
The spirit of a creature that has never lived on the physical plane. Good spirits are Angels; evil ones are demons and devils.


Kirlian Photography
The photographing of the human aura. Two Russian scientists, Semyon and Valentina Kirlian founded this process.
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Levitation
The rising of an object or person by no visible means.



Light Trance Medium
A person whom spirits can communicate through. In contrast to deep trance mediums, the spirit wishing to communicate through them does not possess light trance mediums.


Lucifer
Name means the "lightbearer." Lucifer is the leader of the Angels banished from Heaven by God after they revolted against Him. Satan


Malevolent
Doing or wishing evil or harm toward others. A malevolent spirit is one that wishes to hurt man.



Malicious
A spirit that is evil or spiteful. These spirits will destroy things of personal or financial value for the sake of hurting others.


Manifestation
The appearance or taking form of an entity. Can also mean the outbreak of activity.


Materialization
The deliberate, usually temporary, visible and/or physical formation of a spirit.


Medium
A psychic through whom spirits can communicate. There are two types of mediums: light and deep trance.


Metaphysics
Derived from the Latin word meta which means beyond, metaphysics would literally mean that which is beyond the laws of physics. The study of psychical research.


Miracles
Occurrence caused by divine intervention and for divine purpose.




Necromancy
The conjuring of dead spirits sometimes using bones, burned ash or other parts of a corpse.



Necronomicon
The book of the dead.


Necrophilia
The act of sexually abusing a human corpse. Considered a heinous and unspeakable act, many necrophiliacs become demonically possessed.


Obsession
The second stage of a haunting where the invading entity begins to exert its power over its victim.



Occult
The body of knowledge that is hidden or secret in the areas of the paranormal, preternatural or supernatural.


Oppression
The first stage of a haunting where the invading entity attempts to gain access to the location or person targeted for victimization.


Orb
A sphere of electromagnetic energy produced by spirits. Also called a globule.


Ouija Board
Game board manufactured by the Parker Brothers company. Used to communicate with spirits. Some believe this communication is caused by the collective unconscious of the participants. (Automatism.)


Out Of Body Experience
State in which the spirit of a person travels to the astral plane. It is said that people can in some instances travel to other locations on the physical plane. Also known as OBE, OOBE, astral projection or remote viewing.


Outward Manifestation
Any event of paranormal activity, i.e.: disembodied voices, movement of objects, horrible smells, manipulation with temperatures, etc.


Pact With The Devil
Selling ones soul to Satan for personal gain in this life.



Paranormal
Occurences that take place outside the natural order of things. This would include ghosts, UFOs, ESP and other things difficult to explain by nature but in the realm of the natural.


Parapsychology
Derived from the Latin word para, which means beyond, parapsychology literally means beyond psychology. It is generally defined as the scientific study of paranormal phenomena.


Parapsychologist
One who studies parapsychology.


Pentacle
A pentagram within a circle.


Pentagram
A five pointed star symbolizing the natural four elements surrounded by the spirit. In black magic or Satanism, the pentagram is turned upside down. When this is done, the symbol appears as a devil with the two points resembling horns. Another reason for inversion is to negate any positive connotation.


Phantom
An apparition or specter. Existing only as an energy form.


Phantomania
Paralysis occurring when an individual is under attack by preternatural or supernatural forces. This is also known as psychic paralysis.


Planchette
The pointer instrument used with a Ouija board. It is triangular in shape with a circular window with a pin through it.


Poltergeist
Destructive spirit having the ability to move objects by solidifying the ambient air which results in the movement and teleportation of objects. The word translated means noisy or mischievous ghost, a German term When a spirit enters the physical body of a person.


Possession
There are different types of possession. Mediums will "allow" a spirit to enter their body for the purpose of communication. In demonic possession, the entity will not leave of its own will. During partial possession, the host (person) remains in the body. In full or perfect possession, the spirit of the host is displaced from the physical body. An exorcism is necessary to expel the possessing entity.


Provocation
An effort to provoke or command a spirit to reveal itself.(See religious provocation)


Precognition
Supernormal knowledge of pending or future events.


Premonition
Feeling or warning about a future event. This may be a vague feeling or it can be quite specific.


Preternatural
Diverging from or exceeding the common order of nature but not outside the natural order as distinguished from the supernatural.


Psychic
A person with the ability to see, hear and feel by use of senses other than the natural senses. Also a classification of unusual happenings.


Psychic Attack
An attack, either physical, or mental by a spirit. The spirit may be visible or invisible during the attack. There is evidence that some people are capable of psychically attacking others.


Psychic Cold
This is a situation where one feels unnaturally cold. There are two types of psychic cold. The first, a spirit that is materializing draws energy from the environment. This results in a lowering of the ambient temperature. The second, the materializing spirit will draw energy from people that are present. The people will feel cold but a thermometer will not register a lowering of the ambient temperature. Sometimes situations of great stress can result in a similar type of cold without a drop in the ambient temperature.

Psychic Imprint through Z

Psychic Imprint
An energy field which assumes the appearance of a person. This usually occurs because of the residue of severe emotional energy, which is imprinted into the environment because of a tragic event. While a person may think they are seeing a ghost, it is actually a projected image, not a spirit. Also referred to as psychic recording or projection.


Psychic Paralysis
A condition in which a person is fully awake but is unable to move. Same as phantomania.

Psychic Photograph
A photograph of paranormal phenomena such as psychic fog,a spirit orb or an apparition. Some psychic photos depict a mist like form and sometimes, the face or other features of a spirit are discernable.




Psychic Photographer
One who takes psychic photos.


Psychic Projection
See psychic imprint.


Psychic Research
The general study of paranormal phenomena including ESP, hauntings, ghosts, etc.


Psychic Sleep
Deep, trance like sleep from which a person cannot be aroused. This is caused by an inhuman spirit usually when a person is coming under psychic attack.


Psychic Wounds
Wounds caused by a spirit. They may appear as scratches or bites. Bruising and burns can also result from a negative encounter.


Psychokinesis
The movement of objects by use of the mind either consciously or unconsciously as in poltergeist like manifestations. Also known as PK or RSPK. (Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis.)


Psychometry
The ability to "read" objects being held or touched. This process is often used successfully in police work involving missing persons.


Rapping
This can vary from a light knocking sound to a heavy pounding. It usually emanates from the walls but sounds as if it is coming from everywhere. Spirits sometimes communicate through rapping.



Reincarnation
A rebirth of a soul into a new body.


Relic
The body or part of the body of a Saint or any Sacred momento. Relics are sometimes pieces of cloth worn by the Saint or in some cases, a Holy person.


Religious Provocation
An attempt to compel an evil spirit to reveal itself through invoking the name of God or Christ. This is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted by anyone lacking experience, training and, most importantly, faith.


Ritual
A prescribed form or method for the performance of a religious, solemn ceremony. Rituals can be used for good or bad.


Ritual Abuse
The physical, psychological or sexual abuse performed by a participant as part of a satanic ceremony.


RSPK
Recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis. This is the repeated action of objects moving through the power of the mind and is a cornerstone belief of the practicing parapsychologist.


Santeria
"Worship of the Saints". Originated in Africa, brought to the Caribbean islands via slave trade. Widely practiced in United States urban areas in particular. A hybrid of Catholicism and aspects of Voodoo. Is used for positive or negative purposes by practitioners. Negative potential considered very powerful among demonologists.


Satan
Chief of the fallen Angels who opposed God and was banished from Heaven. Also known as Lucifer.


Satanic
Having anything to do with Satan, as in worshipping him


Satanic Bible
A "how to" book on Satanism written by Anton Szandor LaVey who founded the Church Of Satan.


Scrying
A form of divination using a mirror. Similar results can be had using a mirror, crystals or water.


Scrying Mirror
Mirror used for divination


Sensitive
A person with psychic abilities.


Seraphim
The Angels of love, light and fire. They are the highest order of the hierarchy of choirs.


Shadow Ghost
A black, mist like spirit that has no discernable features. It is usually demonic in nature and is sometimes described by witnesses as a black shape.


Solidification Of Air
The process by which spirits move physical objects.


Specter
Something that exists only in appearance. Same as phantom.


Spirit
Beings that exist without a physical body (discarnate) and are not bound by the restrictions or characteristics of the physical world.


Suffimunigation
Religious cleansing ritual that involves the use of prayers, incense, holy water and beeswax candles. Suffimunigation is used to clear spirits from a dwelling usually performed by a lay person.


Supernatural
Events that have no natural explanation. Commonly refers to acts of the divine but can also include extraordinary acts caused by negative forces.


Succubus
A demon that sexually assaults males during psychic attack men.


Telekinesis
Although often confused with psychokinesis, telekinesis is the projection of perceived movements into ones mind. An example would be of a wall that appears to be moving. The wall is not actually moving but it is projected into the mind making that person believe it is.


Telepathy
Communication of one's mind with another by means other than the normal senses.


Teleportation
The movement of objects or people from one place to another by supernatural means.


Voodoo
African religion which believes in seven gods and uses spells and conjuring for personal gain or to hurt others.


Voodoo Doll
Doll used for voodoo rituals. Its purpose is to bring about harm to others.


Wicca
Meaning "wise one." Term describing, generally, one who practices witchcraft.


Witch
One who practices witchcraft.


Witchcraft
One of the oldest known religions, witchcraft is the worship of nature gods. Contrary to popular belief, true witchcraft is not evil and is not satanic.