Concepts

Glossary of Terms Related to Phenomena

Please Select a Letter to Access a Term

  A

Agent:  A term used in psychical research to signify one who acts as the transmitter in telepathic communications.

Akashic Records:  A cosmic gallery of pictures and the records of every thought, action and feeling since the world began.  Many believe that these records can be contacted in certain psychic states of consciousness.

Apparition:  The paranormal appearance of someone that is distant or dead.  This is a visual phenomenon that usually happens spontaneously.  The appearance of an apparition seems to be motivated by the particular anxiety on the part of the entity.  The need is felt to deliver an urgent message of perceived danger, worry, death or illness.  Apparitions seem more likely to manifest in moments of crisis.  The perception of an apparition is not restricted to the wee hours of the morning or to those who are in some private place.  It can occur at the most unexpected moments and publicly.

The message given by the entity is usually brief as if the power to bring it is limited.  Those seeing apparitions of the dying or dead often report feeling chilliness.  Apparitions may appear quite solid and yet objects may be seen beyond them.  They also may be accompanied by bright light.

Apports:   The entry or appearance of various objects through an apparent penetration of matter.  Apports are related to movement caused by spirit entities or unknown forces of energy.  An apport is an object that appears in a closed area, such as a room in which a séance is taking place.  Apport is the dematerialization of an object that then passes through obstacles such as walls and then re-materializes.  Objects differ in size, may be living or inanimate and appear not to be harmed by their strange journey.  With live apports it is thought that they are not dematerialized but rather the obstructing structure is dematerialized.  Inanimate objects are often reported to feel hot when they arrive, although some have been reported to be cold.

Asport:  An asport is the apport phenomena in reverse.  It is the disappearance of objects from a closed room and their re-appearance in another room.

Astral Body or Double:  A term often used to denote the etheric body.  Interpenetrating counterpart of the physical body that is said to be connected to it by a cord.

Astral Plane:  Often synonymous with the Etheric Plane.  However in Theosophy it means the place occupied by the recently deceased and by non-human nature spirits or elementals.

Astral Projection:  A condition in which there is separation between the physical and etheric body.  Astral projection often occurs during sleep.  Some have learned to consciously do astral projection and there are instances where information has been brought back and then verified.  A cord connects the physical body to the etheric or astral body.  This cord is often referred to as the “Silver Cord.”

Atmosphere:   The gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, especially the one surrounding earth.  There is evidence that there is an aura or special atmosphere that surrounds all living bodies.

Aura:   An energy field or field of radiation that surrounds the human body.  Said by those who can see it, to consist of bands of color.  Investigation done by Dr. W. J. Kilner showed this energy field to vary in brilliance and color during illness and mental or emotional stimulation.  The aura shrinks to nothing near the time of death.  Mediums have confirmed these findings and often discern impending changes by studying a person’s aura.

Automatic Drawing and Painting:  Also called psychic art.  Artistic expression without the control of the conscious self.  Sometimes this is done in complete darkness and at great speed.  The subject and quality of this type of art is varied.

Automatic Speaking:  The use of the vocal cords without the volition of the conscious self.  Spontaneous speech without the control of the conscious self, taking place in trance or in the waking state.

Automatic Writing:  Written or typed material produced without the control of the conscious self.  It is a flow of intelligent writing produced in a disassociated state.  This is a common form of mediumship but is also not always true mediumship.  Automatic writing is a source of countless cases of self-delusion. When it is reliable it can open up a direct channel of communication from the Spirit World.  The content is very important and can determine whether the writing is automatic or from the mind of the writer.  Therefore, in judging such scripts, the standard of evidence should be very strict.

Automatic writing may be produced in trance or in the waking state with the important point being that there is no interference of the conscious mind.  Normally in automatic writing the hand of the writer is controlled and often writes at a furious pace without pause for thought and at times in an unfamiliar handwriting.  With automatic writing the pen moves the writer, where as with conscious writing the writer moves the pen.

If the writer is fully conscious when doing automatic writing, they must remain entirely passive.  The writer may have an idea of the sense of the communication or they may not.  Messages have varied content and can be personal, political, societal, etc.  Automatic writing may be in another language and the term for this is Xenoglossy.  It can be backward, upside down or horizontal.  It may be so minute that a magnifying glass is needed to read it or very large and speed across a page.

Automatic writing can occur while the medium is conscious and engaged in other mental activity such as conversation or reading.  The medium Leonore Piper wrote with both hands at the same time while carrying on a conversation.  All three communications were on different subjects.

Scientists and parapsychologists now give little are no attention to automatic writing as a matter for proof of survival.  It is interesting as in the beginning it was accepted as proof of survival and is actually what led to the field of parapsychology.

Automatism:   The body functioning is not under the control of the conscious self.  This control can be by either the subconscious self or by a discarnate entity.  It encompasses automatic drawing, speaking, writing, painting, playing of musical instruments, dancing and even surgical operations.  Sensory automatism includes clairaudience and clairvoyance.

B

Billet Reading:  Usually done in a public demonstration where the audience write down messages to their departed friends or ask questions on pieces of paper.  The medium who is blindfolded or is in some other way unable to physically see the questions (questions placed in envelopes) then answers the questions and provides facts of an evidential nature.

Bilocation:   The ability to exist simultaneously in two places at once.

C

Cabinet:   A curtain enclosed space from which mediums condense the energy that is necessary for physical phenomena.  A cabinet is usually very simple.  A curtain placed across the corner of a room could serve as a cabinet.  Some mediums sit within the cabinet while others sit outside of it.  Many great mediums who produced physical phenomena found a cabinet unnecessary.

Chakras: Also known as energy centers or spiritual centers.  According to Hindu and occult concepts these are centers of psychic power situated in the subtle body that penetrates the physical body.  There are said to be six main chakras that ascend from the base of the spine.  Various authorities actually differ on the number of chakras, some citing seven.  Much like the aura, some psychics and mediums say that they can see these centers, which are a mixture of color of varying brightness.  The various centers usually are described red at the base; orange at the spleen; yellow at the solar plexus; green at the heart; blue at the throat; Indigo at the brow; and violet at the crown chakra.  Some authorities differ on these colors.  Certain spiritual healers say that they work on the chakras to stimulate a healing of the physical body.

Channeler:  A person who acts as an intermediary and through whom communication from the Spirit World is passed to those in the physical world.  See Medium

Channeling:   see Spirit Communication

Clairaudience:   This is a French word that means clear hearing and is the ability to hear sounds that are removed from natural hearing conditions or the environment. Parapsychology refers to it as extra-sensory information received as sound.  To the person who experiences this it is as if someone’s voice is being heard orally.  The sound, however, is not audible and the physical ear does not receive it.  It is closely allied to clairvoyance but the impressions are heard rather than seen and it could be likened to hearing with the spiritual ear or mental hearing.

Clairsentience:  This is a form of impressional mediumship.  The medium senses the physical makeup, personality, health condition, and the likes and dislikes of the spirit entities when they were on earth.

Clairvoyance:  A French word meaning clear seeing.  It is a paranormal mode of perception in which visual images are presented to the conscious mind.  The perception may be of objects, people and/or scenes, and can be from the present, past or future.  The clairvoyant experience may be spontaneous or induced as through meditation, scrying or other methods of divination.

Cold Spots:  Breezes, cool currents, and cold spots with a significant drop in temperature.  They are often associated with etheric energy, an apparition or a spirit entity.

Colors:   The colors in the human aura are perceived as meaning different things depending on the authority presenting their meaning.  Gold or violet is often seen as spirituality; pink as love and affection; red as energy, strength, courage, or anger; green and blue are often seen as healing colors.  Dark muddy hues are said to signify problems or illness.  Some healers use color therapy with particular hues influencing or helping to heal various illnesses.

Coloring:   A term used to describe a message purported to come from spirit that has been influenced by the medium’s own thoughts and ideas.  A medium is trained to give what they receive even if they do not understand the message.  They are trained to guard against trying to interpret or translate a message to assure that their own thoughts and views are not placed into the message.

Communication, After Death:  The departed bring messages to friends and relatives.  Normally the intent of these messages is to comfort the bereaved and let them know that the loved one who has made their transition is all right and very much alive.  A message may also be brought due to unfinished business and in order to bring closure to some unresolved issue.

Bill and Judy Guggenheim have done in-depth research into After-Death Communications.  They interviewed 2,000 people and collected more than 3,300 firsthand accounts from people who believe they have been contacted by a loved one who has died.  Hello From Heaven! (5)

Based upon their research, the following are the twelve most frequent types of after-death communication people report having with their deceased loved ones:  (taken from the ADC website at www.after-death.com/about/adc.htm).

Sensing A Presence:  This is the most common form of contact.  But many people discount these experiences, thinking, "Oh, I’m just imagining this.”  It’s a distinct feeling that your loved one is nearby, even though he or she can’t be seen or heard.  Though most often felt during the days and weeks immediately after the death, you may sense his or her presence months and even years later.

Hearing A Voice:  Some people state they hear an external voice, the same as when a living person is speaking to them.  However, the majority of communications are by telepathy – you hear the voice of your relative or friend in your mind.  When you have two-way communication, it is usually by telepathy.  In fact, it’s possible to have an entire conversation this way.

Feeling A Touch:  You may feel your loved one touch you with his or her hand, or place an arm around your shoulders or back, for comfort and reassurance.  You may feel a tap, a pat, a caress, a stroke, a kiss, or even a hug.  These are all forms of affection, nurturing, and love.

Smelling A Fragrance:  You may smell your relative’s or friend’s favorite cologne, after-shave lotion, or perfume.  Other common aromas are:  flowers (especially roses) bath powders, tobacco products, favorite foods, and his or her personal scent.

Visual Experiences:  There are a wide variety of visual experiences, which we have divided into two broad categories:  partial visual and full visual ADCs.  Appearances range from "a transparent mist" to "absolutely solid" with many gradations in between.  You may see only the head and shoulders of your relative or friend, or someone you love may make a full appearance to you, and you will see the entire body as well, which will appear completely solid.  Some visual ADCs occur in the bedroom, next to or at the foot of the bed.  Others may happen anywhere – indoors or outdoors – even in a car or aboard a plane.  Typically he or she will be expressing love and well being with a radiant smile.  Loved ones virtually always appear healed and whole regardless of their cause of death.  Verbal communication may take place, but not always.

Visions:  You may see an image of a deceased loved one in a "picture" that is either two-dimensional and flat or three-dimensional like a hologram.  It’s like seeing a 35-mm slide or a movie suspended in the air.  Visions are usually in radiant colors and may be seen externally with your eyes open or internally in your mind.  Communication may occur, especially during meditation.

Twilight Experiences:  These occur in the alpha state – as you’re falling asleep, waking up, meditating, or praying.  You may have any or all of the above types of experiences while you are in this state of consciousness.

ADC Experiences While Asleep:  Sleep-state ADCs are much more vivid, intense, colorful, and real than dreams.  They are very common.  Both one-way and two-way communications are typical.  You usually feel your loved one is with you in person – that you’re having an actual visit together.  These experiences are not jumbled, filled with symbols, or fragmented the way dreams are.

Sleep-state ADCs are similar to those that occur when you are wide awake.  Your relative or friend can come to you more easily, however, when you are relaxed, open, and receptive, such as while you are in the alpha state or asleep.

Out-Of-Body ADCs:  These may occur while you are asleep or in a meditative state.  They are dramatic experiences during which you leave your body and often visit your loved one at the place or level where he or she exists.  These are extremely vivid, intense, and real – some say, "more real than physical life.”  The environments usually contain beautiful flowers and butterflies, colorful bushes and trees, radiant lighting, and other lovely aspects of nature – and are filled with happiness, love, and joy.

Telephone Calls:  These ADCs may occur during sleep or when you are wide awake.  You will hear a phone ringing, and if you answer it, your loved one will give you a short message.  Two-way conversations are possible.  His or her voice will usually be clear but may seem far away.  If you are awake, you will probably not hear a disconnect sound or a dial tone when the call is completed.

Physical Phenomena:  People who are bereaved often report receiving a wide variety of physical signs from their deceased relative or friend, such as:  lights or lamps blinking on and off; lights, radios, televisions, stereos, and mechanical objects being turned on; photographs, pictures, and various other items being turned over or moved; and a long list of "things that go bump in the night."

Symbolic ADCs:  People frequently ask a Higher Power, the universe, or their deceased loved one for a sign that he or she still exists.  Many receive such a sign, though it may take some time to arrive.  Occasionally these signs are so subtle they may be missed, or they may be discounted as mere "coincidences.”  Common signs include butterflies, rainbows, many species of birds and animals, flowers, and a variety of inanimate objects such as coins and pictures.

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Concentration:   One's attention, or the mind, is kept continuously on one point of focus without distraction.  This can be difficult, but it is a good exercise for the stilling of the mind, which is necessary to receive psychic impressions.

Contact Healing:  Healing where physical contact is made between the patient and the healer.  Also called “laying on of hands” healing and spiritual healing.  Absent healing is healing done without contact and at a distance.  Excellent results have been achieved with both types of healing.

Control:  The spirit in charge of a medium or a séance proceeding often called “guides.”  The control directs the operation of the communication with the medium being the instrument of the communication or physical phenomena.  See Inner-band

Cross-Correspondence: 

Cross-Reference: 

Crystal Gazing or Scrying:  A very old form of divination done by gazing at a crystal ball, pool of water, mirror or other reflective surface.  After a time of cloudiness, pictures and scenes are said to appear.  This is the form of divination said to have been used at the time of the Greek Oracles and also by Nostradamus.  Spiritualist mediums rarely, if ever, use this type of tool as it is felt that a developed clairvoyant does not need aids.

D

Death-bed Visions: There are countless reports of “death-bed visions” in which the person, before dying, reports seeing the appearance of deceased loved ones and relatives.  A curious feature of these visions is that the dying only reports seeing deceased persons.  If this were a function of the dying brain one would expect that the visions would be of living persons as frequently as deceased ones.

Dematerialization:  The disappearance of matter or a materialized form.  Parts of the medium’s body have been recorded as temporarily disappearing during séances in which physical phenomena has taken place.  Small objects have also disappeared and if they reappear elsewhere they are known as asports.  See Asports

Differentiation:  Differentiation is used here to describe the process of changing the nature of energy.  A person is thought to receive nonphysical energy via the finer bodies of Self, and to change that energy for use in the physical.  In differentiation, spiritual energy issuing from Infinite Intelligence is differentiated or transformed through the intelligent application of Natural Law to create visualized aspects of reality according to intention.  It is through this process that an individual is thought to create his or her reality.

Direct Drawing and Painting:  This type of art is done without the use of the hand of the medium or any human contact with the materials used.  The materials combine directly to produce the artistic result.  The Bangs sisters, David Duguid and Mrs. E. J French are all mediums known for this phenomenon.

Direct Voice:  A voice heard in space without any visible source or agency.  The voice often emanates from a trumpet, which serves as a condenser and amplifier for the voice.  But with sufficient energy the voice can be heard from any part of the room and a trumpet is not necessary.  The theory of how this is done is that ectoplasm is withdrawn from the medium’s or from the sitter’s body to produce a larynx or artificial voice box. The voices may be human sounding or the sounds of animals.  Many and varied experiments have been conducted to prove the validity of this phenomenon.  Ventriloquism and the “throwing of voices” were ruled out.

Direct Writing:  In Direct or Independent writing the script is obtained without any physical contact with the medium.  Partially materialized hands have been seen, in some instances, writing these messages.  Writing has been obtained in sealed boxes. A form of this phenomenon is known as “slate writing” where writing appears between a pair of sealed slates.  Direct typewriting has also occurred and there have been reports of written messages being received on computers that were not connected to the Internet.  These messages were not written by anyone in the household.  Photographic paper can also be impressed with direct scripts.

Discarnate:  A spirit person who has died in the earthly sense.  Not incarnate.  Not possessing a physical body.

Divination:  Deliberate pursuit of knowing the future or the discovery of things that are hidden by various practices.  Some of the most common are:  dowsing, astrology, numerology, palmistry, crystal gazing and various cards used for divination such as the Tarot.  These tools are not a part of the practice of Spiritualism, however spontaneous prophecy is.

Doorkeeper:   See Control

Double:   See Astral Body

Dowsing:  Using a rod, twig or pendulum to find water or other materials.

Dreams:  Dreams are a common occurrence and are often dismissed.  However there is much evidence that dreams that are prophetic do take place, and many cases have been authenticated.  Dream prophecies are often repetitive and usually consist of some kind of pre-vision in detail of some imminent disaster

Reports of visitations by deceased loved ones during the dream state are common.  These are usually much more distinct and intense than a normal dream.  They are not fragmented or full of symbols as is evidenced in most dreams.  Those who have experienced this say that they felt that their loved one was right there with them in person and that the conversation and visit were as real as any physical meeting.

Lucid dreaming is the ability to retain possession or control and consciousness while in the dream state.  It can be acquired with practice.

E

Earthbound Entity:   See Etheric Studies Nomenclature for a more complete discussion of this subject.

Ectoplasm:  From the Greek ektos and plasma:  exteriorized substance.  A subtle matter present in the physical body that is primarily invisible but capable of assuming various vaporous, liquid or solid states and properties.  It emanates from the body of mediums and is manipulated by either discarnate intelligences or the subconscious, to produce phenomena including partial and complete materializations.  Ectoplasm is usually a whitish sticky substance that emerges through the pores and any of the natural orifices of the body.

Ectoplasm often has a smell similar to ozone.  It can appear in many different forms, colors and conditions although it is most often described as a whitish color.  It is sensitive to light and can also affect the general temperature of the room.  Ectoplasm possesses some of the properties of a living substance in that it has the ability to change, move and assume form.

The medium, Mme. d’Esperance, said that she could feel fine threads being drawn out of the pores of her skin and that her first impressions were of being covered with spider webs.

This substance is said to be responsible for the production of physical phenomena.  In addition to materialized forms spirit operators build elastic or rigid rods to produce movements in objects, raps, artificial voice boxes, levitation of tables and other objects.

Photographs were taken in the Margery séances in Boston.  They show ectoplasm being reabsorbed by the medium’s body through the openings of the mouth, ears and nose.

Ectoplasmic formations are potentially dangerous to the medium.  If the materialized formation or the medium is touched or subjected to light, the ectoplasm rapidly returns to the body of the medium and can cause severe injury.

Electronic Voice Phenomena or EVP:  Electronic Voice Phenomena or EVP: EVP is the presence of anomalous, intelligible speech recorded in or produced by electronic devices, and for which no currently understood physical explanations can account. See aaevp.com for more information on these phenomena.  See aaevp.com for more information on this phenomenon.

Emanations:  Science now knows of many kinds of emissions or radiations.  Those not yet known or understood could be responsible for such faculties as dowsing and psychometry.

Entering the Silence:  A quite period that usually lasts a short time.  It is often observed in Spiritualist church services.  It is a brief time for meditation or attunement to the spiritual influences.

Entity:   An individual.  This term often refers to a discarnate personality.

Etheric:  All things pertaining to nonphysical reality.

Etheric body:  A counterpart of the physical body that lives on after the change called death.  Also known as the spirit body.

Etheric Plane:  The region where we go after passing through the change called death. There is gravitation to those of like mind and spiritual development.  This is the plane contacted by mediums for evidence of survival.  The surroundings in the near locale of the Etheric Planes are said to resemble the earth but are more responsive to thought.  See Concepts, Planes of Existence

Etheric Studies: The field of study focused on the nature of the greater reality, our continued existence in that greater reality after so-called death and the nature of the physical to etheric interface. See Ethericstudies.org

Evil Spirits:  Spiritualists believe that “spirits” are just like us only they abide in a different sphere, atmosphere and awareness.  They are no more evil than we are.  Calling spirits evil is in general caused by a fear of the unknown.  In truth most  “evil spirits” would be better called misguided, ignorant or undeveloped.  Testimony from Spiritualist and others who do rescue work would confirm this.

Extra Sensory Perception or ESP:  Communication or perception by means other than the physical senses.  Professor J. B. Rhine conducted thousands of experiments, which produced statistical evidence of the existence of a telepathic function in some individuals.  There are differences between ESP and mediumship.  ESP is a partial or complete correspondence between the mental patterns of two persons, a sender and a receiver.  In mediumship the information is often unknown by the sitter at the time and in the absence of a “transmitter” the ESP explanation does not fit for what is happening in mediumship unless we say that the sender is in the Spirit World.

F

Faith:  Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.  This is not expected in Spiritualism where proof is offered.

Faith Healing:  Healing which is said to happen due to a healing recipient’s belief or faith in Divine power.  This is the type of healing that has taken place at Lourdes and other such places.  Faith Healing is different from spiritual healing.  With spiritual healing the recipient does not have to have faith to be healed.  An animal can be treated and cured, which rules out faith as the necessary factor.

G

Ghost:  An energy field that repeatedly appears in the same location and is often perceived as a “living presence.”  The appearance of a ghost is often accompanied with a drop in temperature.  Ghosts are considered to be entities that are held earth bound for various reasons.  Due to misinformation from former education, or religious beliefs, the entity may not be aware that he or she is dead.  There may be an emotional tie from the past that is not understood and that binds them to the earth plane.  Mourners who do not stop talking and thinking about someone who has died can hinder that person’s movement into the Spirit World.  A ghost can receive energy from an environment that holds emotional ties regarding its past life.

A ghost can also be nothing more than an astral shell.  Earthly desires and habits may be so strongly engraved that the shell can hold its human like form for a considerable length of time.  This form of ghost is often not responsive to people.  Thought to be associated with body consciousness, rather than the Self.

Glossolalia:  Speaking in tongues unknown to the medium or person doing the speaking.

Guide:   A continual, benevolent, protective influence who acts in a protective and or instructive capacity.  They are said to be advanced spirits who voluntarily return with a purpose in mind.  Some guides say that they are only the mediums for even higher or more advanced entities.

H

Haunting:  Paranormal disturbances usually attributed to the spirits of the dead.  Various phenomena are reported including moving objects, strange noises, lights, cold spots, unpleasant smells, and the appearance of ghostly figures.  Most hauntings are attributed to those who have suffered some sort of violent death.

Hierarchy of Spirit:  A term describing the integration between the different Spirit Planes of existence.  Information from one to the other does not pass directly but by means of a system of delegation and a chain of communication.  The higher spheres are said to be aware of the lower adjacent planes, which they are able to interact with and impress.  But knowledge of the higher can only be revealed through the mediumship of spirits at the lower level.  See Concepts, Planes of Existence

Home Circle:  A group of seven to ten friends who meet on a regular basis usually in a person’s home to develop their psychic powers.  They believe that spirit helpers and guides are ready to assist their efforts.  A developed medium is usually present but not always.  Some circles sit for specific purposes such as absent healing, meditation, spirit rescue, psychic development, or physical phenomena.

Human Personality:  Norman Blunsdon writes in A Popular Dictionary of Spiritualism (2)  “Spiritualism, by revealing man’s enormous potentialities as a spirit, increases the complexity of human personality.  From the F. W. H. Myers communications, it would appear that the earthly individual is only part of a larger entity – the Group Soul – which he will join at a later date, having formed by his reactions, an earthly pattern for a new successor of the group to follow.  The exact relationships of all these ‘facets’ of a large human personality are fraught with interest; they promise a working hypothesis, which might solve many problems.  Our “guides” may be other facets or parts of the same soul group; the popular idea of reincarnation may be a crude glimpse of this far more complex process; the homing instinct of animals and birds; the community life of insects, may all be understood by participation in a group intelligence controlling its lesser parts.  By the phenomena of astral projection, the exteriorization of sensation in materialized figures and hypnotic experiments, we can see that the human senses are not confined to the physical body.  It is conceivable that at a later stage of development, they may all be incorporated in some greater being, where all these facets of experience which we call persons, may be united for the benefit of the whole.”

Hypnotism:   A peculiar state of consciousness artificially induced, a kind of sleep state that seems to liberate the subconscious powers of the subject.  The subject executes suggestions made by the hypnotist as long as they do not conflict with deeper instincts.  These suggestions may even be delayed to take affect after the subject comes out of the hypnotic state.  The hypnotic state also can be self-induced in order to attain greater self-confidence, self-control, or management of pain.

Hypnotic Regression:  A technique whereby a subject being hypnotized is able to recall details of events that happened in their distant past.  Hypnotists have regressed the memory of subjects to events before their birth.  The substantiation of these events is advanced as evidence for the theory of reincarnation.

I

Impersonation:  The medium can temporarily take on the past conditions of the communicator.  These can be physical conditions such as difficulty breathing, a bad leg or any number of situations.  This often provides very evidential information.

Impersonation can also mean something else.  A spirit may imitate another spirit or say that they are someone that they are not.  This can happen in mediumship and also in Electronic Voice Phenomena.  One’s passing to spirit life does not make one immediately illuminated or in anyway automatically more advanced than in earth life.  Spirits may impersonate for attention or as a prank.  Communicators that seem pompous or make claims of being some important personality should be approached carefully and supporting information must be obtained to substantiate any claims that seem out of the ordinary.

Independent:  Independent voice, writing, drawing and painting – see Direct

Impression:   A process by which entities can impart information to the mind of a person with mediumistic ability.  The impression may be visual or more like a thought.  There may be an urge to take a certain course of action or to perform some sort of task.

Infinite Intelligence:  In Spiritualism, the Prime Creator, First Cause, God, whatever you think of when you think of the force that started reality in the first place, is known as Infinite Intelligence.  Yes, it is correct to say that Infinite Intelligence is God.  Spiritualists do believe in God.  But there are a few important differences in the way Spiritualists understand God.  Infinite Intelligence is not a father figure that offers rewards and punishment to his children.  Please refer to the Concepts page for further discussion of Infinite Intelligence.

Inner-Band:  A group of five to seven spirits who offer guidance, knowledge, energy and protection for each person on earth.  Members of the Band are drawn to the person because of their interests and abilities.  The Band’s function is to give assistance, however, they give aid only when they are called upon.  Verbalizing mentally or aloud that help is needed will summon their assistance.  Members of the band work as a team and help is given in every phase of one’s life.  Names often associated with the Inner-Band are Doctor Teacher or Celestial Guardian, Metaphysical Physician, Joy Guide and Alchemist.

Inspiration:  An agency, such as a person or work of art, which moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention.  In Spiritualism this is more of a psychic state in which one is receptive to creative spiritual influence.  Inspirational speaking, writing and drawing have been done by mediums who have no training in these fields and who also lack any natural ability.  The results are often exemplary.

Inspirational Speaking:  An extemporaneous oral communication by mediums in various states of trance with the resulting communication frequently surpassing their own abilities.

Inspirational Writing and Drawing:  Recording written or drawn mental impressions that are supernormally received.

Instrument:  A term used to refer to a medium as in, “the instrument of communication.”  This may seem to refer to a totally mechanical transmission, but this is not the case.  The medium’s mind and vocabulary have to be employed by the spirit communicators.  The mental associations of the medium must be watched for as they may present themselves in addition to the transmitted material. See coloring

Intuition:  The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational processes; immediate cognition; a perceptive insight.

Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC):  Images and messages that are received from spirit entities through televisions, radios, telephones, computers, and other devices.  See Electronic Voice Phenomena,  Video ITC

J

Joy Guide:  A member of the Inner-band or guide whose function is to bring lightheartedness and joy.  Assists a person in their balance between work and recreation.  A Joy Guide is usually seen as a very young person of either gender.

K

Karma:  A principle in Theosophy, Buddhism and Hinduism that states that we are the cause of our present conditions.  These conditions are governed by the Law of Action:  for every action there is a reaction with our deeds, acts and attitudes creating our future and making one ultimately responsible for oneself.

Kirlian Photography:  Photographs of the emanations surrounding people, plants, animals and objects made possible by a high voltage camera invented by Semyon and Valentina Kirlian.  These emanations are not detectable through normal human sight.  The camera converts non-electrical properties into electrical properties, which are then captured on film by means of high-voltage spark discharges.  It is believed that the emanations detected by this method are representative of the aura.

Kundalini:  Yoga teaching regarding a psychic force coiled at the base of the spine.  This force is dormant until awakened through Yoga teachings and techniques.  The force then ascends to the chakras, or energy centers in the body, activating them and creating psychic abilities appropriate to the centers activated.

L

Laws of Nature:  Spiritualists believe that all things including phenomena proceed according to Natural Law.  Phenomena are not considered miracles.  They simply happen according to Natural Laws not yet discovered or understood.  Phenomena may be supernormal but not supernatural.

Laying on of Hands:  This healing practice is equivalent to the Spiritualist’s “contact healing.”  In the Bible, Elisha, an Old Testament prophet, cured a leper by the laying on of hands.  The practice of the laying on of hands, as introduced by Edward the Confessor in the eleventh century, can be traced directly back to the statement found in St. Mark:  “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Levitation:   To rise or cause to rise into the air and float in apparent defiance of gravity.  A form of physical mediumship in which objects such as chairs, tables and even human beings, are lifted into the air without any physical agency.  The medium, D. D. Home, was famous for levitation.  One eyewitness account tells of his floating out a third story window and then returning into the room through another window.

Life:  Predominately considered to be a characteristic of humans, plants and animals.  However, even inert matter is in constant movement and change.  We continue to find life in places that we did not believe that it could exist, such as on the bottom of the sea floor around thermal vents.  Perhaps our ideas of what is living and what is non-living are flawed and merely the measure of our ignorance and restricted powers of observation.  Many consider that the earth is alive.  This view about life is more in accordance with information received from spirit communications.

Lower Astral:  A term often used to describe the part of the Spirit World nearest earth.  This is said to be the level of ghosts and other spirits who would be considered earthbound or lost.

Luminous Body:  A term often used to describe the astral body.  Pythagoras is credited with originally using the term for the astral body.

Luminous Phenomena:  These frequently occur in association with physical mediumship.  A survey of cases seem to conclude that psychic lights have a chemical origin and are derived from the body of the medium or the sitters and are similar to the organic lights observable in nature, such as luminous insects.  The lights can vary in brilliance, size and are sometimes colored.  They appear as semi-solid objects that float about the room.  Phosphorus smells have been said to accompany these lights.

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

7    Crisp, Tony, The Chakras, www.dreamhawk.com/cakra1.htm

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