Outcast Earth: Paranormal References

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A: ABRACADABRA THRU AUTOMATIC WRITING
ABRACADABRA:	Although best known as an expression used by modern conjurors (magicians), this is actually the name of the supreme deity of the ancient Assyrians. The name later became magical in itself, and was often inscribed upon an amulet worn around the neck as protection against evil. The name is also seen in relation to a Gnostic demon called Abraxas, who is said to have had the head of a rooster and serpents for legs.
ADEPT:	A highly skilled person. In this instance, one who is skilled in the metaphysical arts or has innate psychic abilities.
AFREET:	According to some Asian mythologies, this is a spirit or demon of a dead person. The evil afreet is widely feared throughout certain parts of Asia.
AKKADIAN-CHALDEAN INSCRIPTIONS:	Dating from the 7th century B.C.E., these inscriptions are some of oldest magical references ever found. They appear to have been used mostly in exorcisms or casting of spells and were originally part of the royal library of the Babylonian king, Assurbanipal.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PSYCHICAL RESEARCH:	(ASPR) Patterned after the British Society of Psychical Research (SPR), this organization was founded in 1885 by Boston psychologist William James. Its purpose is to record and study a variety of paranormal phenomenon, particularly life-after-death claims and psychic ability. The Society is currently located at 5 West 73rd Street, New York, New York, 10023.
ANIMISM:	Perceiving the natural world as being a place permeated by supernatural forces, including spirits, ghosts, gods, demons, etc.
APPORT:	Any object or substance that is transferred from one location to another by supernatural means. Among spiritualists of the 19th Century, apports could be any object – personal items such as pocket watches, food, ancient artifacts, clothing, photographs, smells, etc. – that materialized during a séance as the result of paranormal intervention. Unscrupulous psychics as proof of contact with the afterlife often used apports.
ARCANUM:	Put simply, the "secret of life." Once discovered, it is thought that this eternal mystery will explain all human questions regarding existence and release all powers once thought to be out of our reach. So far, no one seems to have achieved this.
ASCETIC:	An individual who renounces the comforts of society in order to lead of life of severe austerity, especially in pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.
ASPORT:	The opposite of apport, or an item or object that will disappear through supernatural means, usually as part of a séance.
AUGURY:	From the Latin term avium garritus, or "speech of birds." Augury was a tool for divining the future through the analysis of entrails or flight paths of birds. This was a very common prophetic tool during the Greco-Roman era.
AURA:	A field or glow that surrounds all living things, but is usually invisible. Many mystics claim that the size, shape and color of an aura can indicate a variety of things about that person, including their health, emotional state and personal character. The aura is often represented in Christian and Buddhist art by a halo either above or around a person’s head. If this glow surrounds the entire body, it is referred to as an aureola.
AUTOMATIC WRITING:	A practice popularized by 19th century psychics who claimed that, while in a deep trance, they could write out messages from spirits, deceased persons or strangers.
B: BLACK MAGIC THRU BLACK MASS
BLACK MAGIC:	A form of magic utilized for purely evil purposes; or, in some cases, any magical form that does not originate from god.
BLACK MASS:	This perversion of the Catholic Mass may be a fictional creation of what Christians assumed was an actual part of witchcraft. None other than the Marquis De Sade, whose fascination of all things perverted was well known and heavily documented, thus making the existence of the Black Mass even more doubtful, popularized the idea.
C: CHAKRA THRU CRYPTOMNESIA
CHAKRA:	According to Tantric anatomy, these are seven "power points" through which psychic energies flow. They are located at the base of the spine, below the navel, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, the brow and the top of the head.
COLD READING:	The ability of some "professional psychics," fortunetellers, astrologers and conjurors to coax personal information out of a client or an audience through verbal trickery. Such information is then usual "revealed" back to the client or audience under the claim that it was derived through supernatural means.
CONJURETING:	The magical ability to summon demons and storms.
CONJUROR:	One who practices the art of magic.
*CORPUS HERMETICUM:*	See Hermetica.
COVEN:	A group or gathering of witches.
CRYPTOMNESIA:	A psychological term in which a person will forget previous experiences or information, only to recall them later as original thoughts or impressions. Cryptomnesia is also referred to as "hidden memory," and is used by many skeptics to explain psychic ability.
D: DEJA VU THRU "DROP IN COMMUNICATOR"
DEJA VU:	A psychological phenomenon in which a person feels as though they have lived through an experience before, encountering an eerie sense of familiarity. Scientists have one explanation of the phenomenon: a unique combination of sensory information triggers a repressed memory of a similar event, creating the sense of familiarity.
DEMONOLOGY:	The study of demons, including their various functions, ranks and powers. Most demonologists are particularly interested in how to conjure demons, usually for the purposes of creating personal power or riches.
DEVA:	A Hindu god or spirit.
DEVIL:	In most religions, the devil is considered the ultimate embodiment of evil. Different cultural traditions describe the devil with different attributes, not all of them negative. During the Middle Ages in Europe, for example, the devil could be called up to help sailors navigate treacherous waters. Other times he is portrayed more as a prankster than a villain. In most mystical belief systems, the devil’s primary purpose is to tempt humankind away from righteousness. Curiously, however, he often does not have the ability to force men or women to do his bidding… they must do so through their own free will.
DEVIL'S MARK:	Also known as the Witch’s Mark, this was a tool used by inquisitioners to positively identify witches. The origin of the legend dates back to Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus (Tertullian), an ecclesiastical writer from the Second and Third centuries. Tertullian stated that the devil would place a mark somewhere upon the body of a witch in order to identify his property. Since every human being has some kind of defect that could be so identified, this was one of the most convenient tools used by the witch hunters to lay false allegations.
DHARMA:	A personal life path that leads to a higher state of consciousness and a closer attachment to the divine.
DIVINATION:	The ability to ascertain the future or obtain information through sources other than those considered normal or usual.
"DROP IN" COMMUNICATOR:	A discarnate personality who unexpectedly or uninvitedly manifests itself during a séance and is not known to either the medium or sitters.
E: ECSTASY THRU EVIL EYE
ECSTASY:	Achieving an altered state of consciousness in which the percipient is profoundly aware of a mystical sense of rapture.
EVIL EYE:	A concept found in mystical traditions all over the world, the "evil eye" is said to be a power possessed by some people where they can bring about misfortune or death to another simply by looking at them.
F: FAITH HEALING THRU FAMILIAR
FAITH HEALING :	The ability to cure disease or injury through miraculous or mystical means, without the benefit of science or modern medicine.
FAKIR:	From the Arabic word meaning "poor man." Generally speaking, a fakir is a professional beggar, who will often perform for money through conjuring acts or supernatural feats. Fakirs, who are often found in the East and Near East, are best known for self-mutilating stunts, lying on a bed of nails, eating fire, swallowing glass, etc.
FAMILIAR:	The demonic companion or servant of a witch, usually assuming the shape of an animal like a cat, dog, mouse, bat, rabbit, etc.
G: GURU
GURU:	A spiritual guide or teacher.
H: HALLUCINATIONS THRU HERMETICA
HALLUCINATIONS:	The usual definition for this word is to perceive objects or events with a compelling sense of reality as the result of mental disorder or drug use. In parapsychology, however, hallucination has a slightly different meaning, implying the ability to see, hear or otherwise perceive information through unusual or unordinary means. Parapsychologists tend to look at hallucinations as being a normal part of all human beings lives, and can include dreams, waking dreams, déjà vu and psychic impressions.
HERMETICA:	A mystical wisdom that combined elements of Kabbalistic, Neo-Platonic and Christian spiritual traditions. Apparently this magical information was contained in a multi-volume work known as the Corpus Hermeticum written by a philosopher and alchemist known as Hermes Trismegistus sometime between the years of A.D. 250 and 300. The work was preserved in the Library of Alexandria, Egypt, until the same fire that destroyed the library consumed it. Only fragments of the Corpus Hermeticum survived the inferno, and its knowledge was lost until after the Middle Ages when it was once again found and translated from its original Greek. From the 13th Century on, the Corpus Hermeticum became a common fixture in the libraries of European intellectuals. The authenticity of the work and its author is still debatable.
I: IDEOPLAST
IDEOPLAST:	Similar to ectoplasm, this is a materialized object formed by thought or will. The ideoplast can take any form, from a body part to a household object.
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K: KAPU THRU KARMA
KAPU:	A Hawai'ian term which can be translated to mean "forbidden." Hawai'ian chiefs had the ability to declare many things kapu, from geographical locations (such as fishing or hunting grounds) to personal habits of their tribesmen. The kapu system was meant to keep order in island cultures that could not endure an uncooperative population or the squandering of resources.
KARMA:	The belief that all our actions have either a positive, negative or neutral effect on all future circumstances, including future lives.
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M: MANA THRU MONISTIC
MANA:	A spiritual force that permeates and binds all living things together.
MEDIUM:	An individual who claims to be able to communicate with the spirit world or have similar paranormal abilities. There are two forms of medium: mental and physical. The mental medium is able to gather and provide information to which they evidently do not have any normal access. A physical medium has these same abilities, but is also able to effect the physical state of inanimate objects.
MENTAL MEDIUM:	A psychic who can provide information for which they evidently do not have any access to under normal means.
MENTALIST:	An entertainer who mimics the abilities of a psychic through ordinary conjuring techniques.
MESMERISM:	The ability to hypnotize others.
MONISTIC:	Seeking to find a single unifying principle to explain all natural phenomenon.
N: NECROMANCY THRU NIRVANA
NECROMANCY:	From the Greek words meaning "corpse" and "divination." This is the magical process by which information is obtained from the dead, or, under some circumstances, the dead are resurrected.
NIRVANA:	The Buddhist belief in a state of absolute blessedness, in which the individual is released from a cycle of reincarnation and attains a perfect sense of self.
O: OCCAM'S RAZOR
OCCAM'S RAZOR:	A principle devised by William of Occam (1285-1347), an English physician and philosopher. It was described as a law that "forbids, without necessity, the multiplication of entities, powers, principles, or causes; above all, the postulation of an unknown force, where a known impotence can account for the effect." Put more simply, the principle of Occam’s Razor is that the simplest answer is usually the correct answer in any given situation, especially if all other answers require the suspension of logic, science or common sense.
P: PARANORMAL THRU PROPHECY
PARANORMAL:	From the Greek meaning "beyond normal," this term describes events, abilities or matters that have not or cannot be defined by science.
PARAPSYCHOLOGY:	The science dedicated to studying phenomenon or experiences that are or seem to be outside the realm of human capabilities as presently understood by modern science. This phenomenon may include extrasensory perception (ESP), apparitions and psychokinesis. For more information about the pioneers in the study of parapsychology (such as J.B. Rhine, pictured left), visit the Biographies page.
PARSIMONY:	See Occam’s Razor.
PHYSICAL MEDIUM:	A psychic who has the same abilities as a Mental Medium, but can also influence the physical state of objects.
PIKO:	These are the three "body centers" through which the Hawai’ian people are spiritually linked to all other human lives – past, present and future. Piko waena: The navel, which symbolically and literally links the mother to the child and the child to all his/her present family and friends. Piko po’o: The head, or more exactly, the fontanel that is the opening between the bones in the skull that close as the child matures. Through this piko, the individual is connected to all his ancestors, to the natural world and to his future incarnations, both human and non-human. Piko ma’i: The genitalia, which through the act of procreation connects the individual to all his offspring, to his descendants yet to come, and to his descendants.
PRANA:	The life force that permeates the universe and enters individuals through the breath. Believers in prana also assert that an individual can then channel this energy for positive effect through discipline and thought.
PRESCIENCE:	A belief system common to ancient and primitive societies that the future and other information could be obtained by examining naturally existing forces, including the flight patterns of birds, fire, smoke, stones, plants, dreams and hallucinations. Often these observations were meticulously recorded and studied, similar to a modern scientific process. Prescience asserted that nothing in the world was accidental, but rather everything was part of a larger design laid down by the divine.
PROPHECY:	The ability to foretell future events.
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R: RELICS THRU RHABDOMANCY
RELICS:	Bones, body pieces, personal effects and other objects thought to have originally belonged to holy individuals such as saints. This is a religious belief commonly found among some Christian denominations, particularly Catholics. Relics are frequently venerated and enshrined; and are often believed to have curative or other supernatural powers.
RHABDOMANCY:	A form of dowsing, this art involves the throwing of sticks, rods or arrows in order to divine natural processes, weather conditions or related phenomenon.
S: SABBAT THRU SYMPATHETIC MAGIC
SABBAT:	An assembly of Satanists, vampires, witches or warlocks held through the year on significant dates. What actually happens during the sabbat can change according to which source you consult. The most sensational description contends that the revelers strip naked, cover each other in the fat of murdered children and partake in a ceremony overseen by Satan.
SATAN:	The supreme evil being in Christianity who rules over Hell and all the demonic forces therein.
SATANISM:	A religious belief centered on the worship of Satan and thought to be the antithesis of Christianity. Generally speaking, it is accepted that the goal of Satanism is to undermine and destroy all the institutions and work of God, which Satanists view as being antiquated, naïve and hypocritical. Today there are many satanic cults and belief systems, most of who advocate a lifestyle that celebrates hedonism, self-indulgence, sexuality and the more "animalistic" qualities of human beings. See also Demons.
SCRYING:	The process of staring into a mirror, bowl of water, crystal ball or other reflective surface in order to see visions of the past, present or future.
SEANCE:	French for "to sit," this is a common tool used by mediums to call forth spirits of the departed. A séance generally consists of several people, often friends and relatives of the dead person, gathering in a circle overseen by the medium. The medium will usually enter a trancelike state, during which he or she will be able to communicate directly with the spirits. The séance became especially popular during the 19th and early 20th century, when the spiritualist movement was en vogue. Many mediums, who were more performers than actual psychics, used a variety of staged tricks to convince their patrons of their paranormal skills. Such tricks may have included disembodied voices, apports or materializations of ghosts at the séance.
SHAMAN:	Essentially a "wise man," often one with the ability to cure the sick, in many indigenous cultures. The shaman was a common feature in most animistic cultures, where he practiced a combination of herbal remedies, spiritual rituals and mysticism to bring about the desired outcomes. The shaman may have also been proficient in divining the future, fortune telling, astrology and astronomy. In an age before modern medicine, the shaman was an essential element to human tribes trying to understand the universe.
SHAMANISM:	A series of traditional beliefs and practices performed in cultures throughout the world that are designed to bridge the human world with the spirit world. Shamanism has several consistent elements regardless was where it is practiced, including the belief that spirits inhabit many features of the physical world such as plants and animals; the spirits have a direct effect on the lives of human beings; and that these spirits can be used for both good and evil ends. In many cultures, the shaman is a highly revered position and may serve multiple purposes including acting as a teacher, healer, spiritual guide and leader.
SITTER:	The client of a medium, or a participant in a spiritualistic ritual such as a séance.
SPECULUM:	Any reflective object that can be used in the art of scrying. Examples might include a mirror, crystal, metal plate, polished stone, etc.
SPIRITS:	The energy or life force said to inhabit all living things and to continue to exist after the physical body dies.
SPIRIT CONTROLS:	An incarnate personality that relays information from the afterlife through a medium during a séance. The use of spirit controls is still common among some mediums, although many times to contacted personalities are obviously fraudulent and used more for dramatic effect.
SPIRITUALISM:	The belief that spirits or ghosts can be contacted and interacted with through the assistance of a human medium. This mystic movement began in earnest in 1848 when the Fox sisters claimed to be in touch with spirits in their home. The belief was highly fashionable throughout Europe and the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are several churches organized around spiritualism on both continents.
SYMPATHETIC MAGIC:	A form of magic that uses images, effigies, symbols or icons of living persons in order to deliver spells. The most common example of this form of magic would be voodoo, which often employs small dolls meant to represent the recipient of the spell. Sympathetic Magic can be used for both positive and negative effect, although historically it is best known for bringing down doom on distant enemies. Examples of this type of magical practice have been found all over the world, as far back as the ancient Assyrians and Egyptians.
T: TALISMAN
TALISMAN:	A disk, stone or medal worn which, when worn by a person, can imbue them with mystical powers. It is somewhat different from an amulet, which provides protection.
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X: XENOGLOSSY
XENOGLOSSY:	When a discarnate personality transfers a previously unknown skill to a medium that does not previously have any knowledge of that skill. Examples may include when the medium is spontaneously able to speak, write or read a language they do not have experience with.
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