Glossary of Terms Related to Phenomena

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M

Magic:  The practice of using charms, spells or rituals to attempt to produce supernatural effects or control events in nature.  Most primitive peoples practiced magic.  White magic is magic undertaken for beneficial purposes.  Black magic is magic exercised for evil intention.  Psychic phenomena are supernormal; in other words they work in accordance with natural laws and are not supernatural.

Magnetic Healing:  Some individuals possess a superabundance of energy or vital force.  This energy can be passed on from the healer to those with low amounts of vital force and a healing can take place.

Magnetic Phenomena:  Mediums influence compass needles and magnetized items in experiments.

Materialization:  A form of physical mediumship where temporary ectoplasmic forms are observed in diverse phases of completeness and solidity.  This may be the most difficult phase of physical mediumship.  A large abundance of ectoplasm is necessary.  The ectoplasm is a substance, normally invisible, which flows from a physical medium and is added to by the sitters who are present.  The spirit entity is able to use the ectoplasm to manifest a body, which is a replica of the physical body that they had when they were on the Earth Plane.  The spirit entity manifests apart from the Medium and can be observed by everyone present.  In the best cases of Materialization the entity walks, moves and has even been able to speak.  This phenomenon has been investigated many times under laboratory conditions and proved to be genuine.  This form of mediumship is rare and there is a need for discernment as this phenomenon usually is demonstrated in darkness.  Events of fraud surrounding this type of phenomena in the past have done great harm to the true cases where this phenomenon has taken place.

Matter Through Matter:  This phenomenon has been produced on many occasions with a variety of items being removed or introduced into sealed jars and locked containers.  Clothing that has been sewed up has been removed from mediums.  Rings of wood, leather, iron and other matter have been linked together.  Items have been reported passing through tables and in and out of closed séance rooms.  (See apport and Asport)

Medium:  One whose organism is sensitive to vibrations from the Spirit World and through whose instrumentality intelligences in that world are able to convey messages and produce phenomena.  (NSAC definition)

There are two kinds of mediumship, mental and physical.  Some of the phenomena included under mental mediumship are clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, trance, inspirational speaking and writing, spiritual healing, prophecy, and psychometry.  Some of the phenomena included in physical mediumship would be materialization, apports, transfiguration, direct or independent voice and writing, trumpet, Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), spirit photography, Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC), rappings, levitation, and luminous appearances.

Mental mediumship is considered subjective in nature as it appeals more directly to the intellect.  It is felt that the spirit control operates the medium’s subconscious mind as an instrument of expression.  Physical mediumship is described as objective in nature because it generally affects physical objects and can be observed by one or more of the five physical senses.  Mental mediumship stems from the base of the brain, which is the center of the cerebrospinal nervous system, controlling all conscious actions.  Physical mediumship is centered in the solar plexus, which controls the sympathetic nervous system and regulates all unconscious functions of the body.

Mesmerism:  Early form of hypnotism discovered and used by the German physician Anton Mesmer.  This was also called “animal magnetism.”  Mesmer had success in his healing methods, but was branded an impostor by the orthodox medical community.  Medical doctors now sometimes use hypnotism.

Mind Reading:  See Telepathy

Miracles:  Events that are considered supernatural.  Spiritualist do not believe in the supernatural but have a substantial amount of evidence of the supernormal which does not contest natural laws.

Monition:   A warning that is supernormal; a warning of some past or present event by other than the normal senses.

Molds, Psychic:  Molds have been obtained by the materialized form dipping its hands into molten wax, then water and then dissolving to leave a thin glove like impression behind.  Duplicates of these are impossible to reproduce by normal means.  Other kinds of molds, or impressions, have been taken of materialized forms during séances.

Movement of Objects:  Movement without contact of a physical being.  Called Telekinesis by psychic researchers.  Parakinsesis is movement with contact insufficient to explain it.  Both of these are common phenomena.  Movement can be very slight to the actual levitation of heavy objects and people.  Complicated apparatus have been maneuvered in a manner showing intelligent operation.  See Psychokinesis

Mummification:   This is an unusual form of mediumship where perishable objects are preserved due to contact with the medium’s hands or by passes made with the medium’s hands.  Decomposition of plants and animals has been slowed and cut flowers have been preserved for many days.  Bacteria of various types have also been destroyed with this same method.

Music, Supernormal:  Beautiful, unaccountable sounds of singing or instruments being played.  Music from invisible sources has been reported being heard at religious revivals and at deathbeds.  With mediumship it is rare without some sort of musical instrument being present.  Instruments of various kinds have been played paranormally during the séances of many different mediums.

N

Natural Law:  Natural Law is defined in Spiritualism as an “ascertained working sequence or constant order among the phenomena of nature.”  Natural laws are simple statements of the orderly working of the universe and all that is in it.  They represent the constant outward expression of what we can expect to happen in any given situation.

Newspaper Tests: Ingenious experiments devised by spirit entities to eliminate the possible claim that telepathy was an explanation for spirit communication.  Names and dates were given that would be published in certain columns of a newspaper yet to be printed.  Astonishing results were obtained in this manner through the mediumship of Mrs. Leonard.

Nonphysical:  Not of this physical reality, which is sometimes referred to as the Physical Plane of existence.  This is not simply a matter of something that has not yet been defined by science.  The working hypothesis is that there are levels or aspects of reality that are energetically different from our aspect of reality.

Some may think of nonphysical reality as:

The higher planes of existence
Beyond the Veil
The other side
A different dimension
Finer worlds
Spirit world
Etheric reality
Heaven

However you think of it, the idea is that there is one reality, but that this reality has aspects.  Our physical universe is one aspect of reality.  Here, we are referring to the greater reality beyond our physical universe as "nonphysical" reality.

Numerology:  The study of the occult meanings of numbers and their supposed influence on human life.

O

Objective Phenomena:  Phenomenon that has external reality and that can be perceived and observed by others.

Ouija Board:  A small wooden board with letters of the alphabet.  A pointer is placed under the medium’s hand and on the board.  Under control, messages are spelled out.

Overshadowing:  A medium is controlled by a spirit entity.  Most often used when the range of control is slight.

P

Palmistry:  Divination through the configuration and lines of the hands.  Not a mediumistic faculty.

Parakinesis:  The movement of objects with contact insufficient by itself to explain the motion observed.  See Psychokinesis

Paranormal:  Beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation; supernormal.  In Spiritualism, The Principles of Natural Law are thought to be continuously applied throughout reality.  As such, while something may be outside of "normal" experience, it is not outside of what is normal or natural in the larger view.  The term "paranormal" is sometimes used in Spiritualism, but its use should not be construed as the acceptance of the "miraculous" or "supernatural."

Parapsychology:  The study of the evidence for psi phenomena, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis, which are unexplainable by science.

Pendulum:  A body suspended from a short cord so that it swings freely back and forth.  Dowsers use this instrument.  Spiritualist would say that the results received are possibly due to the psychic powers of the operator, the pendulum simply acting as a focus of attention.

Percussion:   See Raps

Personality:   All of the characteristics, which make up the physical and mental being and make us each individuals.  The characteristics that distinguish one person from another incorporated into a stream of consciousness.  The question of survival cannot be decided until the continuance of personality as a stream of consciousness is proved.

Phantom:   Something apparently seen but having no physical reality such as a ghost or an apparition.  The evidence for this is overwhelming.

Planchette:   A small handrest on castors in which a pencil is fixed.  This device was invented in France in 1853.  The medium places their hand on the device and writing or drawing may result that originates from spirit entities.

Phenomena:  Any manifestation of nonphysical energy into physical reality.  As a convention, "Phenomena" with a capital "P" is used for nonphysical phenomena.  Otherwise, "phenomena" with lower case "p" refers to mundane or physical world manifestations of nature.  Here, Phenomena is generally thought of as an intrusion of subtle energy--usually called spiritual energy in the Spiritualist church--into our physical awareness.  This energy is sometimes referred to as etheric energy.  Typical examples include:

• Mediumship: a medium is a person who is able to sense the presence of a nonphysical entity, either through the physical senses or by way of thoughts and impressions conveyed by the entity.  From the most fundamental perspective, this nonphysical information is spiritual energy (etheric energy but of intelligent origins) that is emanated by entities residing beyond the veil.  Mediumship, then, is the act and process of conveying this energy into the physical realm.

• Clairvoyance: a clairvoyant is a person who is able to psychically sense nonphysical energy and is able to project his or her awareness to other locations--physical or nonphysical.  As such, clairvoyance (clear seeing) is though of a the ability to project awareness beyond the persons physical location.  A modern trend is to refer to this as remote viewing.

• Spiritual Healing: a spiritual healer is a person who is able to manage etheric energy, either in the form of vitality or in the form of spiritual energy.  Please refer to the concept of healing for more information on this subject.

Spiritualists believe that such Phenomena is not supernatural or miraculous in any way, but that it operates according to the Principles of Natural Law.

Phenomena of Spiritualism, The:  The Phenomena of Spiritualism include prophecy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, speaking in tongues, spiritual healing also known as laying on of hands or therapeutic touch, visions, trance, apports, levitation, raps, automatic and independent writings and paintings, direct or independent voice, materialization, spirit photography, psychometry, electronic voice phenomena and any other manifestation proving the continuity of life as demonstrated through the physical and spiritual senses and faculties of man.

Poltergeist:  A mischievous entity who throws objects, makes noise, breaks things and has even been known to cause fires.  This type of phenomenon is spontaneous and usually occurs around young people near the age of puberty.

Possession:  A developed form of motor automatism in which the personality of the automatist is temporarily substituted by a discarnate spirit.  The possessing personality aims to establish communication through the entranced medium by speech or writing.

Unfortunately the term possession has come to mean in popular culture a state of being dominated by evil spirits.  Trance mediumship operates on the same principle but is the result of cooperation between an intelligent spirit and the medium.  Consideration and respect is shown on both sides and the medium’s normal self is only in temporary abeyance during control.

In unwanted possession, the best treatment is to reason with the entity.  The futility and damage that the possessing entity is doing should be pointed out to them.  They must be made aware of the positive possibilities that are inherent in their departure to the sphere of existence that they truly belong in.  They need to learn and understand that progression will still continue for them in that sphere.  Some mediums work in this specialized area and have helped patients back to normalcy.  Also the exorcism rituals done by Catholic Church are documented in the area of possession.

Prayer:  A mental or vocal communication directed to a higher power or spirit intelligence.  A mental attitude of reaching out to a greater awareness of spirituality.  Spiritualists would say that the form is not important, but that the sincerity and spiritual value of the motive behind the prayer is.  Verbal repetition is useless.

Precognition:   Knowledge of something in advance of its occurrence, especially by extrasensory perception; clairvoyance.

Prediction:  The foretelling of any kind of future event; a prophecy.

Premonition:  A presentiment of the future; a foreboding.  This is the lowest degree of prophecy, as in premonitions precise details of the event are not outlined.

Prodigies:   Infants who exhibit mature powers of technical or artistic perfection.

Prophecy:  A prediction of the future, made under divine inspiration.

Psi:  Term coined by J. B. Rhine to represent the unknown force involved in Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis.  Popularly used today to mean "psychic."  Processes and elements in nature or in the human personality, which appear to transcend the accepted limiting principles of science.

Psychic:  That which is mental.  Descriptive of supernormal phenomena.  A person responsive to psychic forces.  A Psychic is not necessarily a Medium.  A Psychic may be able to foretell the future, excel in psychometry and be clairvoyant but would not say that this information was coming from a control or spirit entity.  Mediums are most often psychic but it is possible for a medium to simply be an instrument for communications from the other side and have no psychic ability.

Psychic Photographs:  There are two types.  First there are photographs produced by normal means for psychical research.  These include pictures of ectoplasm, levitation, telekinetic phenomena, materialization, and other manifestations.  Secondly there are pictures produced by supernormal means often called Spirit Photographics.  This type of photo often shows strange lights, mists, orbs and entities.

Psychograph:  The supernormal appearance of some text or writing on photographic material.

Psychokinesis (P. K.):  The production or control of motion, especially in inanimate and remote objects, by the exercise of psychic powers.  This is a term used in parapsychology.

Psychometry: By touching an object, or an area, information is gained that was not known before about the object and/or the owner of the object.  This information is often perceived through the palms of one’s hands.  The article can also be held up to the forehead or against the solar plexus area to gain information.  Objects that have been involved in an emotional trauma, or that have been used repeatedly, are most easily read.  Psychometry does not provide information about the future, as this information has not been imbedded on the object.

Q

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R

Radiesthesia:  The theory that dowsing operates by the instrumental detection of subtle radiations from the hidden substance.

Raps:   A common feature of physical séances.  Noises are heard as knocks, pops, cracks, and bangs.  Coded communication is possible.  The phenomenon is said to be produced by flexible ectoplasmic rods striking furniture, floors, walls or various objects in the room.

Rapport:    Relationship, especially one of mutual trust or emotional affinity.  Spirit entities have advised of the importance of rapport within a circle wishing to develop physical phenomena.

Reality:  There is one reality, but there are many aspects of the one reality.  We exist in the physical aspect of reality.  As such, nonphysical reality is the rest of reality.  Related terms are personal reality or environment and local reality.

Receptivity:  A mental condition necessary for mediumship meaning, “capable of or qualified for receiving.”  Only by becoming quiet and stilling one’s thoughts can one begin to hear the first beginnings of communication coming from those in the spirit realms.

Reincarnation:  The rebirth of the soul in another physical body.  The belief that beings who have passed over and who have spent a period of time in the beyond, return.  Spiritualists are divided on this belief.  Many have difficulty in accepting this rigid law of return and favor the idea of a measure of personal free will.  So what do those on the other side say?  Surprisingly information brought through mediums from spirit entities also is split.  Some say reincarnation is a fact.  Others say that we make the decision once there, whether to return or not.  And still others say that there is no such thing as reincarnation.  Some of the evidenced advanced for the theory of reincarnation is memories of former incarnations, hypnotic regression before birth, prodigies and information from those in spirit.

Rescue Circles:  Formed for the purpose of making those who have died and are stuck in the earth sphere aware of their condition.  These stuck entities are often referred to as “earth bound.”  Guides and helpers tell us that these earth bound entities can be difficult to reach and help from the higher planes and that it is far easier for us to reach them from our side.

Retrocognition:   Awareness or knowledge of facts of past events or persons acquired by means of psychic ability.

Revelation:    Something revealed especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realized.

S

Sacred Writings:  There are many scared texts and books.  Spiritualism contents that all scared texts are important and none are more important than any other.  Revelation and inspiration can be drawn from many literary sources.  Spiritual truth is not confined to one religion or to any particular set of writings.

Scrying:  See Crystal Gazing

Séance:  Sitting done for the purpose of obtaining psychic manifestations or for establishing communication with the dead.  The presence of a medium is required.  Sitters need not have psychic powers but the phenomena will be stronger if they do.  The sitters should be limited and well chosen.  It is said that a number of sitters between six and eight are best.  The establishment of a favorable environment is necessary for success and the rapport between the sitters should be the foundation for this environment.  Most authorities say that there should be a balance between male and female energies.  Skepticism does not prevent success but the presence of a hostile mind can be destructive.

Second Sight:  Clairvoyance

Seer:   A natural prophet or Clairvoyant.

Self:  Self is the term used here in reference to the true "I" of the continuum of consciousness of an individual.  Self is your point of view.  In popular terminology, we are conscious or unconscious.  We have a physical body and we have a Soul.  However, in the terms used here, we are Self occupying a physical body during this lifetime.  We, as Self, are multi-level entities.

Sensing:   A term that is often used by mediums when perceiving information coming from a spirit communicator, or from a psychometry article.

Sensitive:   A person possessing psychic powers but who does not necessarily have the ability to establish communication with the departed.  A sensitive may excel in clairvoyance, psychometry and telepathy, and be able to see the future yet they may not claim that the information received comes from those in the spirit realms.

Shaman:   A member of certain tribal societies who acts as a medium between the visible world and an invisible Spirit World and who performs rituals for the purpose of healing, divination, and control over natural events.

Sitter:  The attendees of a séance or sitting, other than the medium.

Sixth Sense:  A power of perception seemingly independent of the five senses; keen intuition.  Tardy de Montravel first put forward this theory saying that this sixth sense was the source and sum of all our senses.  The theory has been advanced in the past as a convenient explanation for most phenomena and as an alternative to spirit communication.  There may be some truth to our having a sixth sense, but there is also a wide variety of evidence that supports the evidence of spirit communication.

Slate Writing:  Once a popular phenomenon in séances.  Today it is rare.  Two slates were sealed with a piece of pencil between them.  During the séance a message would be written between the slates and disclosed after they were opened.

Smells, Psychic:  Many different kinds of smells have been reported that are of supernormal origin.  They range from the wonderful smells of flowers and perfumes to the very unpleasant ones reported in haunting situations.  Sulfur and ozone smells have been reported accompanying some phenomena.

Solar Plexus:  An area situated behind the stomach.  It is associated with one of the chakras or psychic centers related to emotion.  Thought of as the point in the human body at which cosmic energies are transmuted into usable physical energy.  Sitters sometimes experience a curious pulling feeling in the solar plexus area during the production of phenomena.

Soul:  The indestructible spiritual part of a person.  The animating and vital principle in human beings credited with the faculties of thought, action, and emotion and often conceived as an immaterial entity.  The spiritual nature of human beings, regarded as immortal, separable from the body at death, and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state. Spiritualists believe that the soul leaves the physical body at death and continues to function in the Spirit World.

Speaking in Tongues:  See Xenoglossis

Spectral Flames: Lights that are supernormal and that are seen in cemeteries and around churches.  See Luminous Phenomena.

Specter:  A ghostly apparition; a phantom.

Spheres:  The subsequent realms of spirit life following that of earth.  The higher levels are invisible to those in the lower levels.  The nearest environments are similar to that of earth but disease and physical deterioration are absent.  There have been many attempts to define and name the different spheres.  In any event there seems to be an infinite gradation of levels from those closest to us to those in the celestial spheres.  The celestial area is said to be full of harmony and light and is inhabited by very spiritually advanced beings.

Spirit:  An entity.  The vital principle or animating force within living beings.  The indestructible essence of self-conscious life.  The word spirit is often used to describe a discarnate person.  However, we are all spirits.  The difference would be only in the type of body we presently inhabit be it physical, astral, etheric, etc.

When etheric energy is said to be derived directly from Infinite Intelligence (God) and undifferentiated by any other entity, it is said to be coming from Spirit.  Here "Spirit" is written with a capital "S."  In common usage, "spirit," written with a lower case "s," is a reference to a nonphysical entity.

As examples:

• I might say, "May Spirit be with you."  By this, I would mean that I intend that the formative energy issuing forth from Infinite Intelligence will be available to you in great abundance.  (Of course, it always is, but I am attempting to add my vote in the matter.)
  

• I might say, "I sense a spirit near you."  In this case, I am referring to an entity that I sense near you.  This will usually be a rather undefined sense on my part.  Otherwise, I would be more specific, such as, "I sense a lady near you."

Spirit Children:  Children who have gone to the other side continue to grow and develop in the Spirit Worlds.  Many children tell us about playmates that are in spirit.

Spirit Communication or Channeling:  Energy flows through a person from other dimensions to this one.  This energy can be used for communication, healing or for other purposes.  Information may be received through automatic writing, trance, clairvoyance, clairaudience, or by other means.  In some cases the person may be tapping into the highest level of their own psyche, in others the communication can come from those in spirit or from energy coalitions that say they are from other dimensions.  Those who say that their source is extraterrestrial are usually called contactees.

Spirit Hypothesis:  The theory that the intelligence, which directs the phenomena of the medium, is who and what they say they are, a disembodied spirit.  It is the only simple theory that covers every phase of manifestations.  It is also the one which is being consistently put forward by the invisible communicators.

Spiritual Healing:  Mediums may channel energy just as well as words.  Spiritualist healers believe that their healing power comes from spirit doctors or others in the Spirit World who are able to co-operate with them and pass the needed healing energy to the patient through them.  There are two main methods, contact healing and absent healing.  Many fashionable sounding idioms have come along in recent times such as etheric healing, energy healing, aura cleansing, and energy balancing.

Spirit Helper:  A discarnate entity who is eager to assist the subject.  They may be under the direction of a control.  They are usually the more recently deceased and are often friends and relatives of the subject.  They are different from guides who have a greater understanding and experience of spiritual matters.

Spirit Lights:  see Luminous Phenomena

Spirit Plaines:  Reality is said to be

Spiritual:  Anything relating to Infinite Intelligence.  In Spiritualism, God is generally thought of as Infinite Intelligence.  A more analytical view might be that of a Prime Creator or First cause.  It is reasonable and proper to refer to the purpose and origination of reality as spiritual. Thus, when etheric energy is considered as something that is managed by an intelligence outside of the Self, then it is often referred to as Spiritual in nature.

Examples of the usual use of "Spiritual" include:

• Spiritual--Reverence toward Infinite Intelligence; anything that is akin to Infinite Intelligence or a person who is striving to live in accordance with Natural Law.
  

• Spiritual Healing--healing that is the result of energy coming from Infinite Intelligence.
  

• Spiritual eyes--clairvoyance; an ability to sense nonphysical reality.  (It is more correct to say "clairvoyance," but for the same reasons noted above, " Spiritual" is often used.

Spiritual Healing:  Please refer to the Concepts page for a more complete discussion of spiritual healing.  As suggested by the National Spiritualist Association of Churches: “Spiritual healing is a talent possessed by certain Spiritualist mediums (et. al.), and . . . this talent is exercised by and through the direction and influence of excarnate spiritual beings for the relief, cure and healing of both mental and physical diseases of humankind. . . .”

Spiritual Maturity:  Spiritual maturity can be defined as the understanding of Natural Law and living in accordance with those Principles.  It is reasonable to say that people who are trying to understand the greater reality are seeking spiritual maturity.  Thus, an "enlightened one" is a person with great spiritual maturity.

Spiritualism:  The NSAC defines Spiritualism as the Science, Philosophy and Religion of continuous life, based upon the demonstrated fact of communication, by means of mediumship, with those who live in the Spirit World.

Spiritualist:  A Spiritualist is one who believes as the basis of his or her religion in the communication between this and the Spirit World by means of mediumship and who endeavors to mold his or her character and conduct in accordance with the highest teachings derived from such communication.  (NSAC definition)

Spiritualism as a Science:  "Spiritualism Is a Science" Because it investigates, analyzes and classifies facts and manifestations demonstrated from the spirit side of life.

Spiritualism as a Philosophy:  "Spiritualism Is a Philosophy" because it studies the Laws of Nature both on the seen and unseen sides of life and bases its conclusions upon present observed facts. It accepts statements of observed facts of past ages and conclusions drawn therefrom, when sustained by reason and by results of observed facts of the present day.

Spiritualism as a Religion:  "Spiritualism Is a Religion" because it strives to understand and to comply with the Physical, Mental and Spiritual Laws of Nature, which are the laws of God.

Spiritualist Healer:  A Spiritualist Healer is one who, either through one's own inherent powers or through mediumship, is able to impart vital, curative force to pathologic conditions.  (NSAC definition)

Subjective Phenomena:  Phenomena which arises within the mind, exclusive of external observation.

Subliminal:  Below the threshold of conscious perception.  Inadequate to produce conscious awareness but able to evoke a response.

Suggestion:   F. W. H. Myers defined suggestion as a “successful appeal to the subliminal self.”  Suggestion is a psychological process by which an idea is induced in or adopted by another without argument, command, or coercion.  The amazing power of suggestion has been shown through hypnotism.  A successful suggestion can do astonishing things such as cure diseases or reverse a bad habit.

Supernatural:  An event that violates the laws of nature.  Spiritualism contends that all psychic phenomena are ruled by as yet unknown laws and rejects the term supernatural.

Supernormal:   Beyond what is known of physical laws.  Paranormal.

Survival:   The continuance of the personality after the change called death.  It is the fundamental doctrine of Spiritualism.

Symbolism:   The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events or relationships.  This is often the easiest way for spirit entities to convey information to the medium’s mind.  Of course the problem with this is that the symbol may be misinterpreted by the medium.  It takes practice and cooperation between the medium and the communicating spirits do develop a code so that this does not happen.

Synchronicity:   Coincidence of events that seem to be meaningfully related.

T

Table Tipping or Table Turning:  Sitters place their fingertips lightly on the top of a table. Supernormal energy makes the table tip and turn.  A code can be established and messages can be spelled out.

Telekinesis:   The movement of objects without normal, obvious, or perceptible means.  Usually related to psychic ability.

Telepathy:  The communication between minds by some other means than normal sensory channels.  It is the transference of thought without the use of speech, gestures or other physical means.  Telepathy could be called mind-to-mind communication and is obtaining the mental state or thought of another person in the here or hereafter.

F. W. H. Myers coined the term telepathy during research into the possibilities of thought transference.  Myers defined telepathy as “transmission of thought independently of the recognized channels of sense.”

Touches:   Tactile sensations represent a correlated phenomenon to the movement of objects.  This phenomena is usually present at séances were telekinesis takes place and would appear to be caused by a similar means.  The feelings of being touched can be hard or soft, warm or cold.  They are always intentional and sitters are never touched by accident.  The touch is always meant for the one who receives it.  Touches can imitate contact with any known substance.

Trance:   A spontaneous or induced sleep-like condition or altered state of consciousness that permits the subject’s body to be used by a discarnate entity for communication.  With trance as with other phenomena it is important that there is evidence to show, without a doubt, that a discarnate being is in control and communicating and that it is not the subconscious mind or a separate or split personality of the person in trance.

Trance may be of a very light type in which there appears little difference than in total consciousness.  Or it may be of a very deep type in which the medium is totally unconscious of their surroundings or of the messages that they are relaying.  Upon coming back the person so entranced remembers nothing of what has happened while in the trance.  To all intents and purposes the entity speaking and the person in trance are entirely different.

Transfiguration:   Recognizable portrayals of discarnate persons are built over the medium’s features.  This phenomenon usually takes place in dim light as ectoplasm is used to produce the transformation.  In good subjects the ectoplasmic material can be seen during the forming process.

Transportation:   The supernormal transfer of human bodies through closed doors and over a distance.  It is a mixture of levitation and apportation.  This is a rare phenomenon, but there are cases that have been well authenticated.

Transposition of the Senses:  A distinctive feature of some trance states where the senses of taste, sight, and smell can be experienced by the fingers, toes, ear lobes, forehead or pit of the stomach.

Trumpet:   A megaphone type instrument made of metal used for direct voice phenomena.  The trumpet amplifies the voice.  Voice phenomena without the trumpet is termed “independent voice.”

U

Universal Law: Principles that are necessary for the operation of this system of universes.  They cannot be altered or done away with.  All universal laws were created at the time of creation and are now in existence whether we have discovered them or not.  Also known as Natural Laws

Universal Mind: A collection of all of the knowledge, experience, principles and objects of reality, either animate or inanimate expressed as a coherent whole.  Thought to be accessible as a source of knowledge.  Sometimes referred to as the Mind of God, Divine Mine or Cosmic Consciousness.

Unseen Force: The influence of etheric intelligences in the operation of physical reality.  For instance, this may be the influence an Inner-band might have on an individual.

V

Video ITC:  Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC) using a video camera, most often arranged in a loop back circuit with a television set that is configured to "see" only the Video In signal.  The video camera is aimed at the television set and the output of the video camera is connected to the television Video In.  The resulting video loop produces considerable optical noise.  Images are often found in this noise by reviewing the video clip one frame at a time.  Click here for an example.

Vision:   There are two classes of vision, objective and subjective.  Objective can be said to be the perception of material objects in accordance with optical laws and from a definite point in space.  Subjective vision is independent of optical laws, space and objective existence.  Clairvoyance would be classified as subjective.

Voice Box:  Spirit operators create an instrument from ectoplasm so that the human voice can be reproduced.  It has been photographed and is usually lying on the medium’s shoulder.  It is also sometimes built inside a trumpet.

Voices, Supernormal:  Direct and independent voice as well as voices from materialized forms would be considered supernormal.  When one hears voices that others do not hear it is called clairaudience.

W

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X

Xenoglossy:   Writing in tongues unknown to the medium.

X-Ray Vision:  Usually a power that is claimed by some healers.  It is the ability to see affected organs within the body.  Some sensitives also have claimed this ability and say it is how they read messages that are sealed in envelopes.

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1   Fodor, Dr. Nador—The Encyclopedia of Psychic Science, www.spiritwritings.com/channelingglossary.html

2   Blunsdon, Norman—A Popular Dictionary of Spiritualism, The Citadel Press, 1963.

3   Educational Course of Study on Modern Spiritualism from the Morris Pratt Institute, 11811 Watertown Plank Road, Wauwatosa, WI 53226, www.morrispratt.org

4   Thurman, the Rev. Barbara, NST—Spiritualism 101

5   Guggenheim, Bill and Judy—Hello From Heaven, Bantam Books, 1996, www.after-death.com/about/adc.htm.

6   Bletzer, June G., PH.D., The Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary, New Leaf Distributing Company, 401 Thornton Road, Lithia Springs, GA 30122-1557, 1986