Paranormal Definitions
 

Amorphous:
To have no shape or form - entities often appear this way.

Animism:
This is the belief that the spirit survives the physical body at the time of death.

Anomaly:
A deviation from the common rule. Different, abnormal, not easily classified.

Apparition:
A visual appearance of a scene or person. Aka...ghost, specter

Astral Body:
A soul that is temporarily separated from the physical body; often during sleep and capable of travel before returning to the body.

Aura:
A field of energy that is believed to emanate from a living being. It appears in many colors that indicate the health and well being of the person.

Automatism:
The suspension of the conscious mind to release subconscious images.

Automatic Writing:
The ability to write intelligible messages without conscious control of what is being written.

Banshee:
A female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing foretells of impending death.

Bilocation:
The ability to be in two locations at the same time.

Clairaudience:
The ability to "hear" something that exists in another realm. You may be able to hear them in your head with no auditory sounds.

Clairsentience:
This is the psychic ability to "feel" things not normally felt by others.

Clairvoyance:
In French this term means "clear seeing" and refers to the psychic ability to receive information without using the five senses.

Deathbed Visions:
The appearance of family or close friends that appear shortly before a person's death; said to ease the transition from this life to the next.

Deja vu:
From the literal French "already seen" this is the feeling of having seen or heard something before.

Dematerialization:
To fade or lose substance.

Demon:
An evil entity that has never been human.

Demonology:
The study of demons.

Dowsing:
Also known as divining; the process of locating water among other things. It is also used by some paranormal investigators to locate paranormal activity.

Divining Rod:
Usually a "Y" shaped rod or two ‘L" shaped rods used in dowsing or divining.

Doppelganger:
The ghostly counterpart of a living person.

EMF Meter:
EMF stands for Electromagnetic Field. We believe "ghosts" are energy and electromagnetic in origin. An EMF meter alerts you to changes in the electromagnetic field. Take note of readings that are between two and eight. When using a Cell Sensor EMF meter anything below two or above eight is usually caused by a natural source. Be aware of items in your area that can produce such readings...such as appliances, outlets and power lines.

ESP:
Extra sensory perception is the perception of information without the use of the five senses or from previous experience.

Evocation:
The summoning of a spirit.

EVP:
Electronic Voice Phenomena

Exorcism:
The religious ritual to cast out an evil spirit.

Extraterrestrial:
A being that originates from outside the earth or it's atmosphere.

Focal Person:
Person who is at the center of poltergeist activity.

Gauss Meter:
Also referred to as EMF meters, this instrument measures electromagnetic fields.

Ghost Lights:
These lights are often seen and photographed but their origin is disputed. They do seem to be consistent with paranormal activity.

Guide:
Spirits who assist people in their earth journey - also known as spirit.

Haunting:
Paranormal phenomena such as apparitions, unexplained sounds, smells or other sensations that take place in a specific location.

Immortality:
A never-ending existence.

Incubus:
An evil spirit that has sexual intercourse with women while they sleep.

Invocation:
A method of conjuring or calling upon a spirit.

Karma:
The force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence.

Kirlian Photography:
This form of photography captures the human aura.

Levitation:
The act or process of levitating; especially the rising or lifting of a person or thing by means held to be supernatural.

Meditation:
Mental techniques which aim to produce spiritually desirable states of consciousness.

Mysticism:
Religious or spiritual doctrines which argue that the human mind or soul can directly experience the divine.

Paranormal:
Beside or beyond the normal. Unexplainable in terms of our current scientific knowledge.

Poltergeist:
Noisy or troublesome spirit. They typically focus on one person, who is often a young child or adolescent.

PSI:
A term used to encompass all paranormal abilities.

Psychometry:
Obtaining paranormal knowledge using a physical object as a focus.