A
Afreet: In Arabic lore, the vengeful spirit of a murdered person which arises from the victim's shed blood.
Agent: The apparition or ghost seen by a human being. Also can be a spirit guide for a medium.
Akashic Records: Originally a Hindu concept of a vast, and ever increasing, psychic repository of every thought and emotion - human or otherwise - which has ever been, and into which some individuals seem able to tap.
Alchemy: The exploration and application of the sciences, particularly chemistry and the pseudo science of astrology, such as they were understood during the middle ages and early Renaissance period. Alchemists were chiefly dedicated to the worthy pursuit of producing gold from base metals and various materials.
Allee, John Dewey: (b. March 8, 1951) Occult author and founder of a "Satanic Church" in Salem, MA, and New England's version of Aleister Crowley. Note: On May 1st, 2003, Dewey's organization reported he'd expired; it turns out he's merely retired.
Alma: Russian wild-man encountered in Siberia and northern China, generally described as being covered in hair and powerfully built, though shorter in stature and more human appearing than the Yeti. Some researchers have suggested that Almas may be decended from Neanderthals (Homo Neandertalensis).
Amulet: Any object that is believed to be endowed with supernatural powers allowing it to fend off ghosts and evil spirits, or to bring good luck.
Anthropomorphize: The human centric tendency of imposing human perceptions and priorities upon spirits and other worldly creatures or forces, assuming that all consciousnesses must be akin to ours on some basic levels. (This is a logical assumption when applied to the survival instinct and perhaps to physical procreation; anything more is merely a guess.)
Anomaly: An anomaly (literally, no law or rule) is an irregular or unusual event which does not fit a standard rule or law.
Apparition: A spirit apparition is the classic form of a ghost and the rarest paranormal phenomena. It is the partial or full (sometimes incomplete) form representing a person or animal who was once living and is presently passed on. Sometimes the apparition is transparent and sometimes it can look as if it were solid, but eventually disappears.
Apports: An object created by mediums and poltergeists, which materializes out of thin air and takes solid form. These objects can be coins, jewelry, or anything that would have significance to the members of the séance. It is also known as Materialization.
Astral Projection: Is also called Out of Body Experience (OBE), and is a phenomenon where a spirit double (or astral body) leaves the body (of a living being) and travels to another location.
Atheist: Someone who disbelieves and/or denies the existence of God(s).
Atmospheric Apparition: Also referred to as Atmospheric Imprinting, or Residual Haunts occur when an event is sufficiently traumatic enough that it actually imprints itself into the atmosphere and then replays over and over again. This is most commonly seen at battlefield sites. In the case where a ghost is seen only on the anniversary of the event, the phenomenon is referred to as a Recurring Apparition.
Aura: The field of energy that surrounds all living creatures, including human beings, animals and plants. Some people have the ability to see colored auras and can determine the health and emotions of an individual by the color of their aura. Aura Photography is used to capture the aura on film, usually using Polaroid cameras and film.
Automatic Writing: Is a type of automatism-unconscious muscular movements that are guided by spirits, in this case, writing. Automatic painting has also been documented-where a former artist spirit guides the brush of a living artist.
Awakening: The exact moment when paranormal activity suddenly and unexpectedly emerges from a location where no paranormal activity has been reported before, (or that has not been recorded for a long time).
B
Banshee: An ancient Irish and Scottish tradition of a female spirit foretelling a tragedy or death. They are said to emit a sound similar to a mournful crying.
Baphomet: Demon character supposedly worshiped by the Knights Templar in 14th century France. Some present day practitioners of the black arts regard Baphomet as a "god" of lust and regeneration, and symbolic of the Devil.
Banishing: Formal, ceremonial, procedure affected to cast an invisible presence or influence out from an area. This term can refer either to a spiritual cleansing, or the closing of a magical rite, when the invoked powers are dismissed.
Being: The state or quality of having existence, a living entity
Bi-location: Appearing to be in two locations at one time, and often associated with astral projection.
Bogey: Also referred to as the bogeyman in British folklore, these are classed as horrible or evil spirits that love to be mischievous. Sometimes synonymous with the devil, in the past the threat of calling upon the bogeyman was used by parents to frighten children into good behavior
C
Cabot, , Laurie: (b. 1933) Wicca spokesperson, author, and for the past thirty years, recognized as the official High Priestess of the Witches of Salem, MA.
Carcosa: A mysterious nether region or outer-world containing the mythical lake called "Hali," which appears in the fiction of authors Ambroce G. Bierce ("An Inhabitant of Carcosa") and Robert W. Chambers ("The King in Yellow" : "Cassilda's Song"). There are students of arcane, mystical lore who believe that Carcosa may truly exist, which is why it is included with this roster of terms.
Channeling: A form of spirit communication where a spirit takes possession of a medium to impart spiritual guidance, wisdom, or to communicate with those present at a séance.
Clairaudience: Means clear hearing - a psychic ability which enables someone to hear noises unheard by other people. It is the ability to hear voices, astral music or discarnate beings. This is considered a form of channeling. A person may actually hear spirits talking or singing in their head while there are no auditory sounds.
Clairgustance: Means clear tasting - a psychic ability which enables someone experience a sense of taste associated with a spirit.
Clairsentience: Means clear feeling - a psychic ability which enables someone feel the emotional energy of a spirit or living being.
Clairvoyance: The extrasensory perception manifesting in the form of either an internal or external vision of present or future events, objects, places and people. Clairvoyance usually occurs through dreams or flashes of events while the clairvoyant is awake. An example of a famous clairvoyant was Edgar Cayce. (See Famous Psychics page)
Classic Haunting/Haunt: The spirit of a once living person that for some reason did not cross over at the moment of death. A Classic Haunt involves a spirit that has the ability to interact with you and vice versa.
Cleansing (Psychic): A less ritualized form of exorcism, where-in a dwelling or site is purified and malevolent influences are banished through prayers, spoken as the petitioner moves through the area.
