Page Links: A B C D E F H I L M N O P R S T V X
Apport
An apport is an object that spirit beings have caused to appear. The object appears as if from nowhere. It could be any object, but is usually something that has a special relevance to the person to whom it is given. Sometimes an apport will be warm when it first appears. Dr Annette Childs describes a wonderful apport that was brought to a grieving husband by his recently deceased wife in this interview. Tom Harrison describes how apports appeared at his mother's, Minnie Harrison's, home physical circle in this interview.
Aura
An aura is the energy field around both a living organism, and an inanimate object, as even inanimate objects have auras. Methods of photographing the aura have been discovered. The earliest method was discovered by a Russian, Semyon Kirlian. Kirlian and his wife made many photographs of the leaves of various plants; by 1949, it was determined that Kirlian photography could detect the beginning of plant diseases that were not otherwise detectable. Another more recent method uses a person's biofeedback resonance. The individual places each hand onto sensors which measure standardised biofeedback resonance. These measured points of resonance, which are connected with certain organs and the electromagnetic field, deliver information about the energetic and auric qualities of the individual. This information is fed through a computer program which produces an outline of the person with his or her aura surrounding it. Psychics, mediums and mystics can sometimes see a person's aura, which is often brightly coloured when you are well. If you are ill or if you are feeling bad about something, the aura will not be so bright. We may sometimes feel unfomfortable when someone is 'invading our personal space', because their aura has touched or entered ours. It is said that a medium works with those in spirit by letting the spirit communicators 'step into' their aura, and it is this makes communication possible. When this feels uncomfortable we should just ask the spirit being politely to step back a little.
^ Back to top
Bilocation
Being (or appearing to be) in two different places at the same time. This is one of the paranormal phenomena associated with saints and mysticism. What seems to be happening is these cases is an out of body experience, (OBE) in which the spirit body leaves the physical body to go and aid someone elsewhere, often at a far location. This spirit body is then seen clairvoyantly by the person who is helped, and who is then able to report on the phenomenon and how it was helpful. In appearance to others the spirit body may appear to be a solid physical form, or may be ghostly. This phenomenon has been reported of many saints and a recent example was Padre Pio. The phenomenon of bilocation, which has been well attested through the centuries, is further good evidence that the mind and the spirit of a person are independent of the physical body, and can separate from it.
^ Back to top
Clairallience
Clairallience means 'clear smelling'. It is the ability to sense smells, aromas and perfumes when there is nothing physically present to create them. It is a gift that some mediums have and is a means by which they are able to gain some information about a spirit communicator.
Clairaudience
Clairaudience is a French word, which means literally 'clear hearing'. A clairaudient medium will hear a spirit person talking to them. Clairaudience is divided into 'objective clairaudience', in which the medium will hear the voice of a spirit person outside the head, although it will not usually be either as loud or sound quite like the voice of a person in our world; and 'subjective clairaudience', which is when the spirit person is heard by the 'inner ear' and is much more subtle, like a gentle whisper, rather like when we try to imagine a person we know well talking to us. Subjective clairaudience is the more common ability, and is of the same order as hearing music in our heads. In fact, clairaudient mediums will often suddenly hear a well known piece of music playing in their heads, which is the signal that either the piece of music meant a lot to the spirit person, or means a lot to the sitter, or that the title or the words of the song convey something important about a situation that the spirit person is trying to communicate about.
Claircognizance
Claircognizance means 'clear knowing'. It is the paranormal ability to just know that a certain fact is true, without being able to say how or why you know it. It is a common ability of good psychics and mediums, shared by many people who have sudden hunches, which turn out to be correct.
^ Back to top
Clairgustance
Clairgustance, clear tasting, is the paranormal ability to be aware of taste(s) without the thing(s) tasted being physically in the mouth. It is a gift that some mediums have, and may occur with the other mediumistic abilities to convey the foods that were significant to the spirit person in his earthly life. You could say it can help to "spice up" a medium's messages.
Clairsentience
Clairsentience is a French word, which means literally 'clear sensing'. A clairsentient medium will sense, feel, or touch a spirit person present communicating with them. Clairsentience is divided into 'objective clairsentience', in which the medium will feel the presence of a spirit person as he or she would the presence of a person in our physical world; and 'subjective clairsentience', which is when the spirit person is sensed in a more subtle and less forceful way. Sometimes the medium is made to feel the aches and pains that the spirit person had when they were alive in our world, or they sense themselves taking on the character and stature of the spirit person. Most mediums gain a lot of their information clairsentiently.
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance is a French word, which means literally 'clear seeing'. A clairvoyant medium will see the spirit person talking to them. Clairvoyance is divided into 'objective clairvoyance', in which the medium will see the spirit person with the physical eyes in 3D space, although the spirit may not appear as solid or as colourful as a person in our world would; and 'subjective clairvoyance', which is when the spirit person is seen by the 'mind's eye' or 'third eye' and is again more subtle, often just a fleeting impression, which the medium must be alert enough to register quickly. Fledgling mediums will usually have their eyes closed to see with their mind's eye, but experienced mediums can often do this with their eyes open, sometimes projecting the mental images onto an area of blank wall, sometimes seeing the mental images in shadowy form in the space between themselves and the sitter. Subjective clairvoyance is the more common ability, and mediums who can see objectively will also make use of it. Clairvoyance is a common ability among mediums and they will gain much information about the spirit person from the mental images given to them. These could be pictures of where the person used to live, the work they used to do, and the people they were associated with.
Cold Reading
A psychic or mediumistic reading given with no knowledge of the sitter, but which uses deduction rather than intuition. It is a technique used by fake psychics and mediums rather than genuine ones. Often very general statements are made which could apply to anyone, together with deductions made from clues picked up by careful observation of the sitter (e.g., inferences from their appearance, their clothes, tone of voice, the things they say, etc.). Some hardline sceptics, who refuse to entertain the possibility of psychic or mediumistic ability, entertain instead the fanciful idea that all psychics and mediums use this method, (together with cheating), to obtain their information. Anyone who has had experience of genuine psychics and mediums, and/or who has had experience of courses and workshops in a Spiritualist setting to develop their intuitive powers, will know how ludicrous such aspersions are on the integrity of people with genuine psychic and mediumistic ability. The level of detail given in the best readings goes way beyond anything that could be deduced from obsevation of the sitter.
^ Back to top
Dematerialisation and Rematerialisation
These related phenomena sometimes occur in physical mediumship. Objects can disappear - dematerialise, and reappear - rematerialise, sometimes in another location. The physical phenomena known as apports involve dematerialisation and rematerialisation. Many examples of this are given in "The Scole Experiment" video.
Discarnate - adjective and noun
As an adjective 'discarnate' refers to the state of a spirit being who no longer has a physical body, usually because of physical death. Angels and God have always been discarnate entities, having never been 'incarnate'. Spirit beings can be collectively referred to as 'discarnates'.
Divination
Divination is the ability that some psychics and mediums have of intuitively determining the nature and/or location of an object or person when it or they are hidden, lost or gone missing. Psychics and mediums who have this ability have been known to help police departments, and military establishments. See also entry on 'Psychometry'. See too the entry on 'Dowsing'
Dowsing
Dowsing is a special form of divination performed with a dowsing rod, and is usually done to search for underground water sources, although the same procedure can be used to search for underground sources of coal, mineral ores, crystals, oil, metallic objects, and gravestones. Traditionally, a dowsing rod is a forked (Y-shaped) branch from a tree or bush. Some dowsers prefer branches from particular trees, and some prefer the branches to be freshly cut. Hazel twigs are the most commonly used twigs for dowsing rods in Europe, and witch-hazel in the United States. Sometimes the twigs from willow or peach trees are used instead. The two ends on the forked side are held one in each hand with the third (the stem of the "Y") pointing straight ahead. Often the branches are grasped palms down. The dowser then walks slowly over the places where he suspects the target (for example, water) may be, and the dowsing rod is said to dip, tilt or tremble when a discovery is made. Today some dowsers use a pendulum instead of the traditional dowsing rod. It is said that most people can become quite competent at dowsing if they take the time to practise, and, (VERY IMPORTANT), keep an open mind. As with all psychic and paranormal abilities, prejudging the issue and adopting a fixed sceptical stance will block the ability. See also entry on 'Divination'
^ Back to top
ESP
ESP stands for extra-sensory perception. It is the ability to pick up information by intuition and not by means of the five physical senses. It includes mental mediumship and many psychic abilities. It does not include the ability to influence, or alter objects, or events by the operation of mental power alone. This is known as PK pr psycho-kinesis.
|
Dr JB Rhine, (1895-1980), [inset], of Duke University, known as the father of parapsychology, is credited with first using and coining the phrase ESP. However, the German parapsychologists Gustav Pagenstecher and Rudolph Tishchner used the German equivalent of the phrase, "Aussersinnliche Wahrehmung", before Rhine in the 1920s. Rhine was the first, though, to bring the phrase to public attention in the English speaking world with the publication of his book, 'Extra Sensory Perception', in 1934. |
^ Back to top
Faith Healing
Faith Healing is healing which requires faith in the healing ability of a divine power through either prayer or surrender to the divine power. We do not practise faith healing at YSC, nor does any other Spiritualist church or centre. The Spiritual Healing that we offer should be helpful to you whatever your belief system or lack of it. Please see entry on Spiritual Healing.
^ Back to top
Hypnagogic State
The hypnagogic state is the transitional state of consciousness sometimes experienced while falling asleep, especially if you are falling asleep in a chair and fighting your sleepiness. It sometimes involves vivid mental imagery that can be bizarre; sometimes sounds and voices are heard. A similar state of awareness can be experienced as you are coming round from sleep. Both states are perfectly normal and natural, and do not mean that you are going mad. Spiritualists say that the mind is more receptive to spirit communication at these times, and if you open yourself to this possibility, you can gain valuable information from the spirit world then. Compare Hypnopompic State. [From the Greek hypnos, “sleep,” + agogos, “leading”]
Hypnopompic State
The hypnopompic state was an expression used by the early psychical researcher, Frederic W. H. Myers, to refer to the transitional state of consciousness experienced while waking from sleep. Some writers use the term “hypnagogic” to refer to this state also. See also Hypnagogic State. [From the Greek hypnos, “sleep,” + pompos, “escort, guide”]^ Back to top
Incarnate - adjective, noun and verb
As an adjective 'incarnate' refers to the state of a spirit being inhabiting a physical body, which is controlled and manipulated by the normally invisible spirit body, which contains the mind. There are different views on why spirit beings incarnate. Some hold that we only incarnate once to give the new spirit form and an education. Others say that the same spirit will reincarnate again and again until all its spiritual lessons have been learnt. Spirit beings inhabiting a physical body can also be called incarnates. See also the entry 'Discarnate'.
^ Back to top
Levitation
Levitation is the phenomenon, sometimes seen in physical seances with a physical medium present, when objects and furniture are lifted and moved about the room, people are lifted into the air, and then put gently down again, or are transported through the air, as was the physical medium Alex Dunglass Hume to the astonishment of three credible witnesses. Sometimes this phenomenon occurs together with dematerialisation, as when the physical medium Alex Harris, still in trance and strapped to his chair, was lifted through the walls or blacked out, closed windows of a locked upstairs seance room and found on the front lawn of the garden, still recovering from trance. Either Alex Harris or the walls or windows of the house must have been dematerialised for this to be able to happen.
^ Back to top
Medium
A medium is a person who has developed their innate ability to communicate with spirit people, people who were once alive on earth, but are now discarnate, or have left the physical body. This is the correct word to use of someone who has the ability to communicate with spirit people, not the word psychic. Hence 'mediumship' is the practice of mediums. The most common form of mediumship is called mental mediumship, and is what you will experience if you attend a Spiritualist church or centre. A mental medium is sometimes called a sensitive, and will make use of any or all of the six 'clair' senses described above. The adjective 'mediumistic' is used by Spiritualists to refer to the abilities and ways of working of mediums.
^ Back to top
Noetic
Noetic is an adjective which means of, or associated with, or requiring the use of the mind or consciousness. So, "The Institute of Noetic Sciences" is the institute in California, which promotes the scientific study of the mind and all its abilities, potentialities and faculties, without the unscientific, a priori assumption that everything about the mind can be explained by studying the brain. It states its mission as "supporting individual and collective transformation through consciousness research, educational outreach, and engaging a global learning community in the realization of our human potential."
^ Back to top
Ouija Boards
The word 'ouija' is a composite made up of the French and German words for 'yes'. It usually consists of a board on which are painted the letters of the alphabet in a circle, the words 'Yes' and 'No' inside the circle of letters and sometimes the words 'Not sure' and 'Goodbye'. The board is used with a pointer or up-turned glass, on which the sitters' right index-fingers lightly rest. It is NEVER a good idea to use a ouija board. All responsible Spiritualists will advise you against using them unless you are a competent, experienced medium. They are NEVER used inside Spiritualist churches and centres. To know what you are doing would require training and experience as a medium, and if you are a trained and experienced medium, you would not need to use a ouija board. Communicating with spirit people is not a prank or a party game, and if you do treat it as a game, you are likely to encourage mischievous spirits, or worse, from the lower astral regions, and not the kind and well-meaning spirits that you would want to communicate with. It is rare to get a spirit from the higher levels communicating through a ouija board, unless you are a sincere and experienced medium. Spiritualists will tell you that they should NOT be sold as toys, and should NEVER be given as presents to children. If you are genuinely interested in developing your psychic and mediumistic gifts, you are strongly advised to join the 'Open Circle' at your local Spiritualist church or centre. This is the cheapest, safest, most effective and most enjoyable way of encouraging your latent psychic and mediumistic abilities. If you have had any unpleasant experiences resulting from the use of one of these boards, you might like to contact your local Spiritualist church or centre for advice and support.
^ Back to top
Parapsychology
Parapsychology, literally meaning 'beyond psychology' is the term originally coined by Dr JB Rhine to refer to the experimental and phenomenological study of paranormal phenomena. It can be used instead of the phrase 'psychical research' to refer to the scientific investigation of the paranormal. A specialist scientist in the field of parapsychology would be called a parapsychologist. Notable modern parapsychologists are Professor Gary Schwarz and Dr Dean Radin, who is the author of an interesting blog called 'Entangled Minds'.
PK - Psycho-Kinesis
Psycho-kinesis, or PK, is the ability to influence, or alter objects, or events by the operation of mental power alone. Mind over matter, in other words. It includes such things as moving objects without touching them, causing metals to bend by gently stroking them, and determining the outcome of events. It should not be confused with the movement of objects in a seance with a physical medium. In this case the movements of objects would be due to the whole or partial materialization of spirit entities using ectoplasm drawn from the medium's body. With psychic kinesis it seems to be the mind of the earthly person which is causing the phenomena.
Protection
It is very important to protect oneself before doing any psychic or mediumistic work. This is why divine services, open circles, and healing group meetings always open and close with prayer. We want to work with the highest and the best spirit influences. We are asking protection from negative thought forms and negative energies in ourselves and in others in this world, and among the less evolved spirits in the Spirit World. This is why it is very important to be in a positive frame of mind when engaging in any of these activities. Like attracts like. If we come to a circle with dark thoughts or feeling antagonistic towards some of the sitters, it may attract negative energies and less than pleasant spirits. But we are human, not perfect, and may not always feel 100% loving and positive. That is why we need to ask protection both from and for ourselves and others, that we may be able to stay with and work with the light.
^ Back to top
Psi
Psi is a term which is used to encompass all paranormal abilities. These would include mediumship, and all ESP and PK (psycho-kinetic) abilities.
Psychic - noun and adjective
A person who has developed their innate psychic abilities to intuitively pick up on some of the thoughts, feelings, sense impressions, and states of mind and body of people in this world. A psychic is sometimes called an intuitive. Some psychics also have a psychic rapport with animals, who, unlike humans, invariably have some level of psychic ability. Some psychics do have a genuine ability to access some information about future events, but beware of the charlatans who falsely claim this ability. Nearly all psychics will have some telepathic ability. Some psychics can 'remote view'. Some psychics have abilities in 'divination'. Others have ability with 'psychometry'. All these abilities are collectively known as 'ESP' - 'Extra-Sensory Perception'. Some psychics will have psycho-kinetic ability. Psychics who can also communicate with spirit people should be called mediums, not psychics. The word 'psychic' can also be used as an adjective to refer to the special intuitive abilities and practices of psychics.
Psychometry
Psychometry is the ability that some psychics and mediums have of being able to intuit some information about the history of an object when holding it. Mediums who have this ability might then be able to link with the spirit person who once owned this object and give information about his or her earthly life. See also entry on 'Divination'
^ Back to top
Remote Viewing
Remote Viewing is the ability that some psychics and mediums have of being able to see clairvoyantly an object or installation at a distant location and give some useful information about it. It is well known that during the Cold War, the military authorities of The Soviet Union, The USA and China made use of talented and trained remote viewers for intelligence gathering. The American programme was called 'Stargate' and is now declassified information. You can find much information about this on the internet. Youtube has interviews with former remote viewers who worked for Stargate. For example, see this video of Russell Targ in interview. See also the entry on 'Psychometry' and the entry on 'Divination'
^ Back to top
Spiritism
|
'Spiritism' is a philosophical doctrine that originated in France in the nineteenth century, with the psychic and medium and writer Allan Kardec (1804-1869), [inset], which was a pseudonym for his real name of Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail. It is similar in some ways to Spiritualism, but you should not confuse the two. Spiritists practise communicating with spirit people. They also believe in reincarnation, asserting that the soul will reincarnate after a certain time in order to learn new lessons. Most Spiritualists do not believe in reincarnation, and it is not taught in Spiritualist churches and centres. However, being a liberal religion, individual Spiritualists are free to believe in reincarnation if they feel that this is true, and they have some evidence for it. Spiritualist churches and centres would welcome Spiritists to their services and events, as they would people of all religions and none. Spiritism has quite a strong following now in Brazil. See also the entry on 'Spiritualism' |
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a philosophical doctrine, a religion and a science that in its modern form originated in America in the nineteenth century with the Fox sisters, who lived at Hydesville, New York State. It is a rational religion which is evidence based. It is based on the knowledge proven through the several forms of mediumship that the human mind and spirit survive the dissolution of the physical body after death. See also the entry on 'Spiritism'. This is only a brief definition. For a much fuller discussion of what Spiritualism is and what it entails, see our 'About' section.
Spiritual Healing
Spiritual Healing is defiened by the Spiritualist National Union as being "a form of healing by the use of forces and energies from the world of spirit, channelled through the healer by the laying on of hands on or near the body, or prayer or the direction of thought from a distance." These energies work in a subtle way to relax you, ease tension, and aid healing. For more information on Spiritual Healing at YSC, you should read through the pages of our 'Healing' section.
^ Back to top
Super-Psi Hypothesis, The
This is a theory proposed by those parapsychologists who are reluctant to accept that mental mediumship and trance mediumship give evidence suggesting the survival of the human mind and personality after bodily death. It says that mediums are primarily using telepathy to pull information about a deceased person out of the mind of the sitter, but we cannot say that a medium is only in telepathic contact with the sitter, because mediums often give information that can only be verified later. So this theory goes on to say that mediums also have access to the minds of all other people, perhaps thousands of miles away - even if the sitter has given no indication of their whereabouts or existence. The theory acknowledges that mediums sometimes give information about a deceased person that no-one on earth knows about, is not written in any known documents and is only verified later by a chance discovery. So it goes on to make its most fanciful suggestion of all - that the medium has access to some source of infinite knowledge -- Cosmic Consciousness, the Collective Unconscious, the Akashic Records, or whatever we might call it. There are several things to say about this theory. It is fanciful if not fantastical. There is a much simpler explanation for mediumistic phenomena - viz. that the human mind and personality survive bodily death. It does not accord with the medium's own experience of what is happening during mediumship, viz contact with the mind and personality of a spirit being, who is often seen, heard and sensed objectively. It does not account for the phenomena of physical mediumship when the materialised presence of a deceased person can be seen heard and felt by all present, who are able to interact with him or her. It also does not account for the phenomena of ITC, where voice messages, pictures and written messages have been conveyed by electronic media, also sometimes allowing interaction as in this case of the deceased Konstantin Raudive's conversation with George Meek, accessed from the World ITC website.
^ Back to top
Telepathy
'Telepathy' is the psychic ability to pick up some of the thoughts or feelings of another sentient creature, usually another person, and/or the ability to transmit one's own thoughts and feelings into the mind of another sentient being. Some sceptics will say that all mediumship ability is simply telepathy, taking information from the mind of the sitter. This would be remarkable enough in itself, but is not true, as anyone with more than a superficial knowledge of or acquaintance with mediumship will be able to demonstrate to you. It is certainly not an idea entertained by serious researchers. Mediums often give information about a deceased loved one which is unknown to the sitter, but which is later verified after further enquiry. For example the famous 'Book Tests' overcome the objection that mediumship is just a form of telepathy. See also the entry 'Psychic'.
^ Back to top
Veridical
Veridical is an adjective that comes from the same Latin root as 'verity' - truth. Veridical means truthful, corresponding to or containing fact, coinciding with reality. We talk of veridical near-death experiences, or veridical out-of-body experiences, meaning experiences that bring back true information, gathered by the wandering spirit body from a different vantage point or location away from the immobile physical body.
^ Back to top
Xenoglossy
Xenoglossy is the sudden paranormal ability to speak or write in a language that you have not learnt. It usually happens during trance states.