The Paranormal Dictionary

Chad Stambaugh

HGM Publishing

Also By

Chad Stambaugh

Paranormal Investigations

The Para-Chronicles, the way I see it Vol I

Beyond the Veil, A spiritualist Guide to God, Man and Ghost

Please check out these other books by Chad Stambaugh

His newest Book, The Devil Wihin, will be out in April, 2016 so make sure you keep an eye out for it.

The Paranormal Dictionary

Chad Stambaugh

HGM Publishing

HGM Publishing

3138 W. Dakota Ave. Fresno, CA 93722

Second Edition

Copyright © 2015

ISBN 978-1484887561

This book is the sole registered trademark and service mark of HGM Publishing. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

TableContents

Paranormal

LETTER A- 18

Letter B- 90

Letter C- 120

Letter D- 145

Letter E- 165

Letter F- 176

Letter G- 184

Letter H- 200

Letter I- 212

Letter J- 219

Letter K- 225

Letter L- 233

Letter M- 240

Letter N- 253

Letter O- 264

Letter P- 272

Letter Q- 302

Letter R- 304

Letter S- 315

Letter T- 337

Letter U- 357

Letter V- 361

Letter W- 370

Letter X- 378

Letter Y- 381

Letter Z- 389

CryptoZoology

LETTER A- 401

Letter B- 407

Letter C- 414

Letter D- 419

Letter E- 426

Letter F- 427

Letter G- 429

Letter H- 431

Letter I- n/a

Letter J- 434

Letter K- 435

Letter L- 437

Letter M- 439

Letter N- 446

Letter O- 449

Letter P- n/a

Letter Q- 450

Letter R- n/a

Letter S- 451

Letter T- 456

Letter U- 460

Letter V- 461

Letter W- 462

Letter X- 464

Letter Y- 465

Letter Z- 466

Ufology

LETTER A- 474

Letter B- 482

Letter C- 484

Letter D- 488

Letter E- 490

Letter F- 491

Letter G- 492

Letter H- 493

Letter I- 495

Letter J- n/a

Letter K- n/a

Letter L- 496

Letter M- 497

Letter N- 499

Letter O- n/a

Letter P- 500

LETTER Q- N/A

Letter R- 503

Letter S- 509

Letter T- 510

Letter U- 512

Letter V- n/a

Letter W- n/a

Letter X- n/a

Letter Y- n/a

Letter Z- n/a

Demonology

Letter A- 519

Letter B- 527

Letter C- 531

Letter D- 534

Letter E- 537

Letter F- 538

Letter G- 540

Letter H- 542

Letter I- 547

Letter J- 549

Letter K- 551

Letter L- 554

Letter M- 558

Letter N- 561

Letter O- 565

Letter P- 567

LETTER Q- 571

Letter R- 574

Letter S- 580

Letter T- 589

Letter U- 593

Letter V- 596

Letter W- 600

Letter X- 602

Letter Y- 605

Letter Z- 609

Conclusion- 615

Bibliography_ 616

THE PARANORMAL DICTIONARY

A Complete Users Guide to Everything Paranormal

I’d like to dedicate this book to a group of people that stood by me through thick and thin.  This book is for my parents, Ed and Irene Whistler and to my in-laws, Ron and Carol Campbell.

PREFACE

I’ve put this Dictionary together not just for the Paranormal Investigator, but for everybody in the paranormal field period.  This book is for the person who studies Parapsychology, Ufology, Cryptozoology and all the other fields of expertise that falls under the paranormal realm.  The words and definitions that are contained in this book are a complete compilation that has ever been put together anywhere.  The words and definitions that are in here have been extensively researched and cross-checked for accuracy and truthfulness.

The entries in this dictionary give coverage to the most frequently used words in the paranormal field.  The heart of the dictionary is the A-Z vocabulary sections; where readers will find information about meaning, spelling, and where possible, pronunciation. 

The Paranormal Dictionary was created by the same author that brought you Paranormal Investigations; Chad Stambaugh.    With over 2,500 words, this dictionary will be one of the best resources for a Paranormal Investigator ever to be found. 

I feel that this handy reference book should be put in everyone’s equipment case right next to their EMF meter and voice recorder. 

You know it’s great to know what every piece of equipment is and (hopefully) how to use it properly, but this is only half the story. 

If you deal with clients and one of them describes to you that they saw a figure with no definitive shape or form and kind of misty looking.  What are you going to tell them that they saw?  If you say, oh you saw a shadow figure, you’d be totally wrong.  Because what they are actually describing to you is an amorphous spirit.  

Or if you’re a team leader and your training a new investigator and they want to correctly log down outside contamination on an EVP session?  What are you going to tell them?  Just log it as outside contamination (which to me shows your knowledge base is weak) or are you going to tell them correctly that it’s called "spill-through." 

Do you know how many phases to a demonic possession there is and what they are correctly called?  Or do you know that there are two types of Catalepsy, but only one pertains to the paranormal? Do you even know what Catalepsy is?  

It's knowledge like this that (like I said in my first book) separates Ghost Hunters from the Paranormal Investigators.  The ghost hunters are just out there doing whatever they want.  Not trying to better themselves and keeping this field from moving forward.  People need to start educating themselves in this field more so that we as a whole can be taken more seriously by not only everyday people but by mainline science.

It’s the true paranormal investigator that is constantly learning their craft by gaining knowledge of their field, using the proper scientific terminology, so that when they speak to their clients or even explaining the paranormal field to a novice, they can come off as a competent practitioner of their craft, not an unintelligent quack. 

I know when I’m talking to a novice at a restaurant or on an airplane while I’m traveling somewhere, I want that person to get something real and understand what a paranormal investigator really does.  I don’t want to sound like a crazy unintelligent person.  Because when I talk about the paranormal, I’m not just representing myself, I’m representing every single investigator in the field. 

Again, every single paranormal investigator should have this as their paranormal bible per se; because, if you can’t find the answer to a word and definition in this dictionary, chances are, it doesn’t exist.

Acknowledgements

Wow, there have been so many people that have helped with this book that if I named everyone, in particular, I’d be here all day.  So I’m not going to name names this time around.  You all know who you are and you know how you helped me out with this.  So when it finally comes out, everyone can claim that they helped and I won’t accidentally miss someone and hurt someone’s feelings. 

I will say a big thank you to a couple of rabbis from New York that I spent a lot of time on the phone with and a certain Muslim Imam from Egypt; who even though the language barrier and Skype made it hard to talk to each other sometimes during a long two week stretch; we still were able to accomplish a lot.  I say to all three of you; thank you!

This book represents a lot of other people’s hard work and effort also, just not mine.  So again, I say thank you all for helping me put this terrific book together. I know most of you didn’t want your names mentioned for one reason or another, so I’ll keep my promise to you all.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

In order to make this book a more effective and user-friendly reference on the subject of the paranormal; this book has been separated into four main parts and further breaks each of them down into chapters by focusing on the subject and type.

Any discussion of the paranormal usually begins with just the paranormal itself, but Cryptozoology, Ufology and, of course, you can’t forget Demonology are all important and integral parts of this field. So they have to be added to this Dictionary to make it a complete reference book for the true Paranormalist.

In Chapter 1; "Paranormal", I put all the words and definitions in one place so that you can find them easier and to learn and to reference when you’re in the field. 

In Chapter 2; "Cryptozoology", I put all the strange animals and Hominoids that man has tried to research and prove that they exist.  Sometimes creatures from the crypto side of the house spill into a paranormalist investigation and or research that will explain what is going on in a particular area.  Remember, not everything in the paranormal is ghosts.

In Chapter 3; "Ufology", I try to cover all the different types of UFO sightings and conspiracy theories that are a part of this exciting field.  Again, not everything that explains what is going on in your investigation is dealing with ghosts. 

In Chapter 4; "Demons", while this category seems to be everyone’s favorite subject right now; actually dealing with a demon in an actual investigation is very small.  Just because you might be dealing with a "malevolent" spirit, doesn’t mean it’s demonic. It’s probably more like an angry or confused human spirit that is trying to get your attention and wants your help.  But just in case, you do run into that rare case of a demonic haunting, I’ve created what I feel is a complete list of the types of demons and their names that are known to man at this time.  There are thousands more that we still do not know, but demonologists are constantly working on finding and naming these unknown demons.

Whilst I have included the names of a lot of the known demons, through my research I found out a lot more about most of these demons, but I will not put all this information in this book.  Because there are so many people in this field that like to do things they’re not supposed to do, I will not give you things like incantations, symbols, and magical conjuring ceremonies to summon these beings of the underworld. I’m sorry; I just won’t help these types of people out.  End of story.

INTRODUCTION

The paranormal is an extremely broad subject, and writing any single book that covered every aspect of it would be nearly impossible.  This book is meant to serve as an introduction to understanding the vast and fascinating world of the paranormal phenomena.

Also, as you read this book, it is important to understand that much of what we know about the paranormal world is still based on theory, speculation, and first person accounts.  Rarely is one solid theory or concept thought to definitively explain any paranormal phenomenon.  But, it’s important to have a solid basis or foundation of knowledge that every person in the Paranormal field needs to know no matter what method or style of investigating that you do.

This book is meant to get everyone on the same wavelength or knowledge base so that we can actually start to work on that elusive vision of "Para Unity."

Chapter One

The Paranormal

{A}

Abacombacy - A means with which to predict the future through the use of various patterns of dust. This has been known in some practices to include the use of the ashes of the recently deceased.

Abaris - A Scythian high priest of Apollo and a renowned magician. He chanted the praises of Apollo, his master, so flatteringly that the god gave him a golden arrow on which he could ride through the air like a bird. Therefore, the Greeks called him the Aerobate. Pythagoras, his pupil, stole this arrow from him and thus accomplished many wonderful feats. Abaris foretold the future, pacified storms, banished disease, and lived without eating or drinking.

With the bones of Pelops, he made a statue of Minerva, which he sold to the Trojans as a talisman descended from heaven. This was the famous Palladium, which protected and rendered impregnable the town wherein it was lodged.

Abracadabra - An ancient magical word from Arabia. Its origin lies with Abraxas and it is believed that speaking this word would grant power over spirits.

Abraxas - The Basilidian sect of Gnostics of the second century claimed Abraxas as their supreme god and said that Jesus Christ was only a phantom sent to Earth by him.

They believed that his name contained great mysteries, as it was composed of the seven Greek letters which form the number 365, the number of days in a year. Abraxas, they thought, had under his command 365 gods, to whom they attributed 365 virtues, one for each day. The older mythologists consider Abraxas an Egyptian god, and demonologists describe him as a demon with the head of a king and with serpents forming his feet. Ancient amulets depict Abraxas with a whip in his hand, and his name inspired the mystic word abracadabra.

Absent Healing - Absent healing (absentee healing, distance healing, distant healing, remote healing, and teleotherapeutics).

(1) Treatment of a patient not in the practitioner's vicinity through magic, meditation, prayer, spirit doctors, or telepathy.

(2) A form of faith healing that involves the projection of positive healing energy.

Absent Sitter - Psi term for a person, who is not present at the time of a psychic reading, for which the reading is given? The similar or alternative term is proxy sitting.

Absolute Energy – An invisible primal life force found in the atmosphere, necessary for the existence of all life in the universe.

Abura-akago - (油赤子, lit. Red oil baby) is a ghost in Japanese mythology. Abura-akago is illustrated in Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki, as an infant spirit lapping oil out of an andon lamp. Sekien's accompanying notes describe it: In the eighth town of Ōtsu in Ōmi (Afumi) Province there exists a flying ball-like fire. The natives say that long ago in the village of Shiga there was a person, who stole oil, and every night he stole the oil from the Jizō of the Ōtsu crossroads, but when this person died his soul became a flame and even now they grow accustomed to this errant fire.

If it is so, then the baby which licks the oil is this person's rebirth. Sekien seems to have based this image on a story from the Shokoku Rijin Dan, published in 1746, in which an oil merchant who steals oil from the Jizo statue at the Otsu crossroads is punished by being transformed posthumously into a ghostly flame.

Abura-sumashi - (油すまし, Oil Presser) (Japanese Folklore) A creature from the island of Amakusa in Kumamoto prefecture (Japan). The abura-sumashi's name can be translated as oil wringer, from abura (oil) and sumasu, a word from Amakusa dialect which means to press, wring, or squeeze. It seems to be related to the production of katashi-abura (hardship oil, taken from the seeds of the Camellia sasanqua plant) which was once prosperous in the Kawachi district of the island. In modern media, the abura-sumashi is often depicted as a squat creature with a straw coat covered body and a potato-like or stony head.

Abyssum - An herb used in the ceremony of exorcising a haunted house. Abyssum is consecrated by the sign of the cross and hung up at the four corners of the house.

Acheri – According to Indian lore, this is the ghost of a small girl. They live in mountain tops and come into villages to spread diseases, mostly to children. It does it by casting its shadow on those it wishes to infect.

Acupressure - A Japanese variation of Acupuncture that instead of penetrating the skin with needles, works by applying pressure to certain points on the body. It is commonly performed by applying pressure with the fingers, elbows or knees.

Acupuncture – A form of alternative medicine that originated in China as far back as 2,000 B.C.  It is thought there are some 2,000 acupuncture points in the human body, and method works by stimulating these points with solid, hair-thin needles.  The treatment has become increasingly popular over the last few years and is considered to be very effective by many people.

Acutomancy - A form of divination utilizing sharp or pointed objects, such as needles, which are dropped in customary lots of seven onto a table surface, where the resulting random pattern is interpreted to gain insights into future events.

Acuto-Manzia - an Unusual form of divination by pins. Practiced by Italian psychic; Maria Rosa Donati-Evstigneeff. Ten straight pins and three bent pins are used. They are shaken in cupped hands and then dropped onto a surface dusted with powder.

This system would seem to involve some psychic faculty, and is related to such forms of divination as geomancy and tea leaves.

Acheropite - Term used to describe a supernormally produced portrait on cloth. Another term, used for a cloth that bears the miraculous portrait of Jesus, is veronica, based on an apocryphal legend of a woman who wiped the face of Jesus during the procession to the Cross. The controversial Turin Shroud is one of the most interesting examples of such a cloth.

Activity – Conscious and Unconscious thoughts have an effect on outer manifestations this effect corresponds to the type and kind of thought.

Adam Kadmon - (primeval man). It’s a Kabbalistic term. Known especially from the symbolism of the Zohar; expressing the anthropomorphic conception of Jewish mysticism of the Divine realm.

A Tree of Life in the Kabala, in the form of; an idealized spiritual being. The Divine-emanated hypostases, the Sefiroth, are described symbolically as comprising a huge human-like figure: The three upper ones, Keter (crown), H? okhmah (wisdom), and Binah (intelligence), are the head of this figure; H? esed (love) is the right hand, Din (judgment) the left and (which is also the source of earthly evil), Tiferet (beauty) is the body or heart, Netsah? (Endurance)—-The right leg, Hod (majesty)—-the left, and Yesod (foundation)—-the male organ.

The feminine element in the Divine realm, Malkhut (kingdom) or the Shekhinah (Divine presence), is depicted as a parallel female body. The concept of Adam Kadmon is the Kabbalah's mystical interpretation of the imago dei—-the creation of Man in the form of God (Gen. 1:26). The figure itself is first presented in a Jewish mystical work in the ancient Shi'ur Komah text which belongs to Hekhalot and Merkabah mysticism, in which the Creator's limbs are described, their names given, and their gigantic measurements listed.

This mystical symbolism is based on the anthropomorphic interpretation of the verses in Song of Songs 5:10-16, where the lover is understood to be God Himself.

Medieval Kabbalah used the Shi'ur Komah symbolism extensively, which may have had certain roots in Jewish mystical speculation of the Second Temple period. Various kabbalists in the middle Ages and early modern times used this symbol in different ways, some emphasizing its mythical-anthropomorphic meaning and some moderating its mythical impact, using it for the hidden realms within the Godhead.

Adamastor - The name given to a spirit once believed to haunt the Cape of Good Hope and prophesized doom for those seeking to sail around the Cape to India. Said to have; appeared to a famed explorer; Vasco de Gama on his expeditions to circumnavigate the cape to reach trade ports in the east.

Adept - According to the Theosophical Society and some occultists, adepts are individuals who, after stern self-denial and consistent self-development, have prepared themselves to assist in influencing the advancement of the world. The means by which this is attained are said to be long and arduous, but, in the end, the successful adept fulfills the purpose for which he was created and transcends other human beings. The activities of adepts are multifarious, being concerned with the direction and guidance of the activities of other human beings. Theosophists claim that their knowledge, like their powers, far exceeds that of other mortals; they can control forces both in the spiritual and the physical realm and are said to be able to prolong their lives for centuries.

Adepts are also known as the Great White Brotherhood, rishis, rahats, or mahatmas. Ordinary people who earnestly desire to work for the betterment of the world may become chelas, or apprentices to adepts, in which case the latter are known as masters, but the apprentice must first have practiced self-denial and self-development in order to become sufficiently worthy. The master imparts teaching and wisdom otherwise unattainable (and thus resembles the guru in the Hindu tradition) and helps the apprentice by communion and inspiration. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky alleged that she was the apprentice of such masters and claimed that they dwelled in the Tibetan Mountains. The term adept was also employed by medieval magicians and alchemists to denote a master of their sciences.

Additor - A spirit board modified by the addition of a little round hollow box with a pointer protruding from it. The hollow box is a miniature cabinet that is believed to accumulate psychic force as it moves under the fingers over a polished board printed with the alphabet. The term auto scope has been given to such devices as the Ouija board, planchette, and Additor that are believed to facilitate the production of messages from an unknown intelligent source, at times the subconscious mind, at other times from discarnate spirits of the dead.

Adhab-Algal - The Islamic purgatory, where the wicked are tormented by the dark angels Munkir and Nekir.

Adjuration - A formula of exorcism by which an evil spirit is commanded, in the name of God, to do or say what the exorcist requires of him.

Adoptive Masonry - Masonic societies that adopt women as members.

Adonai - A Hebrew word signifying the Lord and used by Jews when speaking or writing of YHWH, or Yahweh, the ineffable name of God. The Jews entertained the deepest awe for this incommunicable and mysterious name, and this feeling led them to avoid pronouncing it and to substitute the word Adonai for Jehovah in their sacred text. The ancients attributed great power to names; to know and pronounce someone's name was to have power over them. Obviously, one could not, like the Pagans, suggest that mere creatures had power over God.

This custom in Jewish prayers still prevails, especially among Hasidic Jews, who follow the Kabala and believe that the Holy Name of God, associated with miraculous powers, should not be profaned. Yahweh is their invisible protector and king, and no image of him is made. He is worshiped according to his commandments, with an observance of the ritual instituted through Moses. The term YHWH means the revealed Absolute Deity, the Manifest, Only, Personal, Holy Creator and Redeemer.

Adytum - From the Greek term 'aduton', which means a place to which entrance is forbidden? This is a term alternatively used with 'sanctum sanctorum' or 'Holy of Holies' to describe the innermost sanctum of a temple or church or an area of sacred space in occult practices.

Aeromancy – A means with which to predict the future through the specific and deliberate observation of the atmosphere.  This can include the study of storms, comets, clouds, winds and other natural phenomena.

Aetities - A precious stone of magical properties, composed of iron oxide with a little silex and alumina, and said to be found in the stomach or neck of the eagle. It is supposed to heal falling sickness and prevent untimely birth. It was worn bound on the arm to prevent abortion and on the thigh to aid parturition.

Affectability - A term coined by parapsychologist Charles Stuart implying susceptibility to feedback in a situation where the subject in an ESP test is told the score on the previous run and asked to estimate the score on the next run. In this context, affectable subjects were those who consistently gave estimates that reflected their score on the immediately previous run; unaffectable subjects were not so influenced.

Stuart also used the term affectable for subjects who were markedly extreme in expressing likes or dislikes to various possible interests, while unaffectable subjects were relatively indifferent to many of these interests. By measurement on a Stuart Interest Inventory, Stuart claimed that unaffectable subjects appeared to score higher than affectable on ESP perception. However, the term affectability can be applied generally to the degree of suggestibility of a subject.

After-Death Communication - (ADC) Also called post-mortem communication; literally means; communication with the deceased.

After Death Contact Project - (ADC Project) Established by Judy and Bill Guggenheim to accumulate firsthand accounts of people who have felt the direct presence of or have actually seen deceased loved ones. They have collected more than two thousand such accounts of after death contact (ADC) in their study and welcome any further accounts.   Telephone interviews are conducted at the expense of the ADC Project, PO Box 536365, Orlando, Florida 32853.

Afterlife - State of a surviving consciousness after the physical death of a living being.

Afturgangas - (Icelandic Folklore) Spirits of the deceased.

Afrit - In Arabian traditions, an afrit is the spirit of a murder victim which rises to avenge the crime. Traditions hold that the spirit rises from the slain person's body in the form of 'smoke rising from a fire'. The spirit form is malevolent and their activities are regarded as quite terrifying in nature. The time-honored tradition of removing these violent spirits is to drive an iron nail into the ground in the location the murder was committed. See also nailing down the ghost.

Ag - A red flower used by some Hindus to propitiate the deity Sanee (the planet Saturn). It is made into a wreath with jasoon, also a red-colored flower, which is hung round the neck of the god, who is of a congenial nature. This ceremony is performed at night.

Agaberte - Daughter of a certain giant called Vagnoste dwelling in Scandinavia. She was a powerful enchantress and was rarely seen in her true shape. Sometimes she would take the form of an old woman, wrinkled and bent, and hardly able to move about. At one time, she would appear weak and ill, and at another tall and strong, so that her head seemed to touch the clouds. She affected these transformations with the smallest effort.

People believed her capable of overthrowing the mountains, tearing up the trees, drying up the rivers with the greatest of ease. They held that nothing less than a legion of demons must be at her command in order for her to accomplish her magic feats. She seems to be like the Scottish Cail-leach Bheur, a nature hag.

Agalmatomancy - From the Greek 'algama' (figure) and 'manteia' (divination), the divinatory practice of forecasting future events by reading features of statues. See also Idolomancy.

Agares - The Grand Duke of the eastern region of Hades, according to Johan Weyer, He is shown in the form of a benevolent lord mounted on a crocodile and carrying a hawk on his fist. The army he protects in battle is indeed fortunate, for he disperses their enemies and puts new courage into the hearts of the cowards who fly before superior numbers. He distributes place and power, titles and prelacies, teaches all languages, and has other equally remarkable powers. Thirty-one legions are under his command.

Agartha - (Buddhists Theology) a civilization of people suspected by some to exist in the center of the Earth. It is believed to be a race of supermen and superwomen who occasionally come to the surface to oversee the development of the human race. It is also believed that this subterranean world has millions of inhabitants and many cities, its capital being Shamballa. The King of this world is believed to have given orders to the Dalai Lama of Tibet, who is his terrestrial representative. His messages are transmitted through certain secret tunnels connecting the inner world of Agartha with Tibet.

The famous Russian channel Nicholas Roerich, who was a channel for Ascended Master El Moyra, claimed that Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, was connected by a tunnel with Shamballa in the inner Earth. The entrance of this tunnel was guarded by Lamas who were sworn to secrecy. A similar tunnel was believed to connect the secret chambers at the base of the Great Pyramid at Giza with Agartha.

The first public scientific evidence of Agartha’s existence is believed to have been uncovered in 1947 when Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd of the United States Navy flew to the North Pole and, supposedly, instead of going over the pole he actually entered the inner Earth. In his diary, he tells of entering the hollow interior of the Earth, along with others, and traveling seventeen hundred miles over mountains, lakes, rivers, green vegetation, and animal life. He tells of seeing monstrous animals resembling the mammoths of antiquity moving through the brush. He is thought by some to have eventually found cities and a thriving civilization. (See: Hollow Earth)

AGATE - According to ancient tradition, this precious stone protected against the biting of scorpions or serpents, soothed the mind, drove away contagion, and put a stop to thunder and lightning. It was also said to dispose the wearer to solitude, promote eloquence, and secure the favor of princes. It gave victory over enemies to those who wore it.

Agathion - A familiar spirit that was said to appear only at midday. It took the shape of a man or a beast or even enclosed itself in a talisman, bottle, or magic ring.

Agathodaemon - A benevolent deity in Greek mythology. Known as; the good spirit of vineyards and cornfields. According to Aristophanes, Agathodaemon was honored by drinking a cup of wine at the end of a meal. He was represented pictorially in the form of a serpent or sometimes as a young man holding a horn of plenty, a bowl, and ears of corn. Winged serpents were also venerated by the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and other peoples.

Agency - The imaginary ghost created for group Psychokinesis experiments in a séance-type setting.

Agent - (1) Person who attempts to communicate information to another in an ESP experiment. (2) The subject in a psychokinesis experiment. (3) A person who is the focus of poltergeist activity.

Age of Aquarius - The alleged two-thousand-year long period in human history marked by enlightenment, love, and profound peace heralded by the ascension of the constellation of Aquarius into 'the house of the Sun' in astrology. Astrologers throughout history have disputed the time frame in which this period of universal enlightenment is set to begin, with most estimates falling between 1904 and 2160 AD.

The term received its greatest popularity during the 1960s when spiritual exploration and alternative lifestyles became fashionable in society because of the political and social unrest of the time. See also New Age.

Agimat - (Philipino Folklore) [also anting-anting and bertud] the equivalent to a talisman, amulet or charm. Generally depicted as polygonal metallic objects, the agimat can also be of any material, from virtually any source such as:  as a croc's tooth, a precious stone or a mutya (supposedly the essence that falls from the heart of a banana tree).

An agimat can protect its owner from harm or death caused by another person or evil spirits. Some agimats reportedly bring luck and even supernatural powers to the wearer. Agimats, in various forms, are still a popular commodity. In one Manila commercial district, they are sold openly.

Aglaophotis - A kind of herb said to grow in the deserts of Arabia and much used by sorcerers for the evocation of demons. Other plants were then employed to retain the evil spirits as long as the sorcerer required them. Possibly, a fictional herb, it's mentioned occasionally in works on occultism. References to Aglaophotis and to Olieribos (both of which are said to be magical herbs) are made in the Simon Necronomicon.

The Greek doctor Dioscorides named Aglaophotis as a member of the peony family, Paeoniaceae. It has been speculated that the species paeonia officinalis, or the Europea peony, is the source of Aglaophotis, but there is little evidence to prove this theory. According to Dioscorides, peony is used for warding off demons, witchcraft, and fever. This is at odds with the presentation in the Necronomicon, in which it is used to call upon dark forces.

Ailuromancy - Divination through superstitions concerning cats. For example, a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen in the United States and Germany, although usually regarded as lucky in Britain. Owning a black cat is also believed to be lucky. A cat washing its face or ears, or climbing up furniture, is said to indicate rain; if the cat washes its face in the parlor, it may indicate visitors. It is a widespread belief that killing or mistreating a cat will bring ill fortune. This may arise from ancient religious beliefs concerning the cat as a sacred animal.

Akaname - (Japanese Folklore) Filth licker. A hideous type of Japanese bogeyman that quite literally licks dirty bathrooms clean with its tongue and the aid of poisonous saliva. It is believed that the monster may have originated as a way for parents to motivate their children to keep the bathroom clean.

Akasha - (Sanskrit) In the Abhidharma taxonomies it is defined as the container within which the four ‘great elements’ (maha-bhuta) of the earth, water, fire, and air find expression. Generally, it is said to be of two kinds: limited by corporeality (in other words the space between objects), and unlimited or infinite. In some Abhidharma systems, it is classified as one of the unconditioned (asa? sk? ta) phenomena (dharma).

Space is often used in Mahayana literature as a simile for the mind in its natural state, since the unlimited expanse of space, which is nothing in itself, is characterized by purity, immutability, and emptiness, and yet it acts at the same time as the ‘container’ or support for all phenomena without distinction. In the occult, it is believed to be one of the five elementary principles of nature according to Hindu mysticism. Akasha is the first of these principles, and out of it, the others are created. These subtle principles, or tattvas, are related to the five senses of human beings and to basic elements of matter: earth (prithivi), water (apas), fire (tejas), and air (vayu).

The all-pervading Akasha is responsible for vibrations of light and sound. Akasha is described in some mystical doctrines to be a mystical, spiritual substance where memories are stored since the beginning of time. It is one of the five elements in Hindu philosophy and is often described as a form of atmosphere or ether. The Akasha is thought by some to contain a record of everything that has ever happened, but also everything that will ever come to pass in the future. Theosophists believe that persons with special psychic powers can tap into the Akasha or Astral Light. They achieve this by using their astral bodies or astral senses to search for spiritual insights which have been stored for all eternity.

According to ancient Indian tradition, the universe consists of two fundamental properties. These are motion and space through which motion takes place. This space is called the Akasha (Tib. nam-mkhah). It is also believed to be the substance that enables things to step through into reality and gain visible appearance, extension, and corporeality.

The Akasha relates to the three-dimensional space of our sense perception and this is called the mahakasha. The nature of the Akasha is not limited only to these three dimensionalities; indeed, it is made up of infinite dimensions comprising all possibilities of movement not only physical but spiritual as well. Akasha is derived from the root kash, meaning to radiate, to shine It also has the meaning of ether believed to be the medium of movement. The Akasha is thought to be indivisible, eternal and all pervading.

Akashi Records - Memories of all experiences since the beginning of time, believed by some mystical doctrines to be stored permanently in a spiritual substance (Akasha).

Akateko - 赤手児, lit. (Barehanded child) (Japanese Folklore) A yōkai from the Aomori prefecture specifically in the city of Hachinohe. The akateko appeared as an infant's hand hanging down from a tree.

Akathaso - (Burmese Folklore) Evil spirits who inhabit trees.

Akhnim - A town of Middle Thebais. Which; at one time possessed the reputation of being the habitation of the greatest magicians. The French traveler Paul Lucas (1664-1737), in his Second Voyage, speaks of the wonderful serpent of Akhnim, which was worshiped by the Muslims as an angel, and which the Christians believed to be the demon Asmodeus.

Akita - In 1969, Akita, Japan, was the site of one of the more prominent modern series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary. While praying, Sister Agnes Sasagawa, a young postulate of the Order of the Handmaids of the Eucharist, a Roman Catholic order community, received a locution, a clairaudient message, concerning how she should pray. She ascribed this voice to an angel.

The content of the prayer, she later discovered, was the same as that given to the three children who had seen the Virgin Mary at Fatima. Sister Mary was deaf.

Four years later she received another locution, which happened to coincide with the development of the stigmata, a mysterious cross-shaped wound on her hand that refused to stop bleeding. The inner voice directed her to the chapel, where she saw the Virgin for the first time.

She also heard a series of accompanying messages from the Virgin calling for prayer and sacrifice. The words seemed to come from a wooden statue of the Virgin located in the chapel. She would see the Virgin two more times. The last of the three messages complained of problems of discord and compromise within the church reaching to the highest levels. These apparitions would probably have gone unnoticed had it not been for the accompanying phenomena. During the period when the apparitions were being received, the statue oozed a reddish substance from its right hand. Analyzed, it proved to type AB blood. Then the statue was noticed to perspire. Again the substance was analyzed and proved to be similar to human sweat. Then, several years later, the statue in the chapel began to emit tears from the eyes. All of the sisters saw the tears as did visitors to the convent.

At one point, a Japanese film crew from the local television station filmed the phenomena. They also took samples of the tear drops, which upon analysis proved to be the same as human tears. Over the next six years, the statue was recorded to weep more than a hundred times. In 1981, the first miracle was recorded: a woman experienced a healing of what had been diagnosed as terminal brain cancer. Later, Sister Agnes was cured of her deafness.

The local diocese conducted an investigation, and in 1984, the bishop of Niigata announced a favorable conclusion and authorized the veneration of Our Lady of Akita. The messages are in accord with church doctrine and appear to be of mysterious or supernatural origin. This verdict was confirmed by the Vatican in 1984.

The events at Akita challenge the more common explanations of skeptics concerning weeping statues as the substance coming from the eyes was not water (as would have been the case if it was due to mere condensation). In like measure, explanations generally attributed to bleeding statues do not appear applicable.

Akkiyyini - (Inuit folklore) A skeletal ghost that, during his life, enjoyed dancing and playing the drum. When the Akkiyyini hears people making fun of his dancing, he emerges from the grave and uses his arm bone as a drumstick and his shoulder blade as a drum. This causes the ground to violently shake and causes the river to become savage, overturning boats and drowning his unfortunate victims.

Akurojin-no-hi - (悪路神の火 lit. (Fire of the god of the bad road) (Japanese Folklore) A ghostly flame, from the folklore of; the Mie prefecture in Japan. Akurojin-no-hi often appears on rainy nights, and people who encounter it and do not run away become gravely ill. (See also: Ball Lightening and Ignus Fatuus).

Akusala-mula - (Sanskrit; Pali, akusala-mula). The collective name for the three roots of evil, being the three unwholesome mental states of greed (raga), hatred (dve? a), and delusion (moha). All negative states of consciousness are seen as ultimately grounded in one or more of these three.

AL - According to Éliphas Lévi, this forms part of the inscription on a pentacle that was a frontispiece to the published Grimoire of Honorius, an antipope of the thirteenth century. The letters, used to designate a name of God, were reversed on the pentacle, said to be part of a ritual for the evocation of evil spirits. AL was also a word of considerable importance to magician Aleister Crowley.

It was the name given to the revelation he received in 1904 that became the basis of his new system of Thelemic magic, usually called The Book of the Law or Liber AL. Crowley placed great store in numerology. In his system, AL equated to 31, the number which he felt held the key to unlocking the meaning of Liber AL.

Alaka - (Hindu Folklore) 1. Also called Alakapuri is a mythical city. It is the home of Kubera the king of Yakshas and the lord of wealth, and his attendants called yakshas. Mahabharata mentions this city as the capital of the Yakshas Kingdom. This city rivals the capital of Indra the king of the Devas. 2. Sanskrit word meaning lock of hair.

Alan - Deformed spirits from the folklore of the Tinguian tribe of the Philippines. They have wings, and their fingers and toes point backward. Alans are said to take drops of menstrual blood, miscarried fetuses, afterbirth, or other reproductive waste and transform them into human children, whom they then raise as their own. They live near springs in extremely fine houses, made of gold and other valuables. The modern Alan spirit has long since left the Philippines, pointed their toes forward again and roam the wilds.

Alastor - An avenging deity or spirit, the masculine personification of Nemesis, frequently evoked in Greek tragedy. A cruel demon, which; according to Johan Weyer, filled the post of chief executioner to the monarch of Hades. The conception of him somewhat resembles that of Nemesis. Zoroaster is said to have called him The Executioner. Others identify him with the destroying angel. Evil genies were formerly called alastors. Plutarch says that Cicero, who bore a grudge against Augustus, conceived the plan of committing suicide on the emperor's hearth, and thus becoming his Alastor.

Alchemy - The Science of turning the baser metals into gold or silver by chemical means. The byproduct, Quicksilver, was thought to have magical powers. This was a very perfected science in Egyptian times and lasted all the way up into the 14th-16th Century A.D. when some of the alchemy methods were lost due to wars and fires that were amid in those times.

Alectorius - This stone is about the size of a bean, clear as crystal, sometimes with veins the color of flesh. It is said to be taken from the cock's stomach. According to ancient belief, it renders its owner courageous and invincible, brings him wealth, assuages thirst, and makes the husband love his wife, or, as another author has it, makes the woman agreeable to her husband. It's most wonderful property is that it helps to regain a lost kingdom and acquire a foreign one.

Alectormancy - Also spelled as 'alectromancy' and 'alectryomancy', from the Greek 'alectruon' (cock) and 'manteia' (divination), the archaic divinatory practice of forecasting future events by placing a rooster or hen into a circle of grain, around which letters of the alphabet have been arranged. Answers to questions concerning the future are interpreted by which letters the bird chooses to feed at. Other variations included diving the future from the crowing of a cock or by reciting the letters of the alphabet, making special note of those letters which are spoken when a cock crows. The practice was especially popular in the Roman Empire to identify robbers and thieves.

Aleuromancy - (from Greek halo, 'salt', and manteia, divination), The divinatory practice of utilizing flour to forecast future events. One method involved mixing flour and water in a bowl and then interpreting the patterns left at the bottom and sides of the vessel. Another practice involved writing sentences upon slips of paper, which were then baked into balls of dough and divided amongst participants to learn their fates. The practice is still in existence in the form of Chinese fortune cookies.

Alfridarya - A belief resembling astrology, which claims that all the planets, in turn, influence the life of man, each one governing a certain number of years.

Alga - A word from the Kabala formerly used by rabbis for exorcisms of the evil spirit. It is made up of the initial letters of the Hebrew words, Athah Gabor leolam, Adonai, meaning, Thou art powerful and eternal, Lord. Among superstitious Christians, it was also a favorite weapon with which to combat the evil one, as late as the sixteenth century. It is found in many books on magic, notably in the Enchiridion ascribed to Pope Leo III.

All Hollows Eve (Halloween) - The day of dressing up in costumes and passing out candy on October 31st started out as a pagan festival of the dead.  This night is still believed by many to be the night when spirits, demons, and other supernatural beings are their strongest.

Allat - Goddess of the ancient Arabs of pre-Islamic times and one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. She is associated with the god Dhu-shara, known as Allah (supreme god), and worshiped in the form of a rectangular stone, reminiscent of the later Kaaba of Mecca.

Allat is mentioned in the Koran as a pagan goddess. She is said to have been a joint ruler with Allah and judge of the afterlife. She is mentioned in the Qur'an (Sura 53:19), which indicates that pre-Islamic Arabs considered her as one of the daughters of Allah along with Manat and al-‘Uzzá. She is equated with the Greek Athena and Tyche and the Roman Minerva. She is frequently called, the Great Goddess in Greek in multi-lingual inscriptions. According to Wellhausen, the Nabataeans believed al-Lat was the mother of Hubal (and hence the mother-in-law of Manat).

Alli Allahis - A continuation of the old sect of the Magi, priests of ancient Persia.

Alliance of Solitary Practitioners - A loose association of Wiccan and Pagan covens and solo practitioners. Its website, located at http://www.witchcraft.net/ASP/, provides both information and a means for solitaries to communicate with each other. Solitaries may also become formal members of ASP. By the end of the 1990s, ASP reported more than 1,300 members in more than 40 countries. While agreeing on a few basics concerning Paganism, solitary practitioners manifest the widest possible variation in belief and practice.

Allobio-Feedback - Term used by William G. Braud (1978) to denote the situation in which one subject, A, is attempting to influence, psychokinetically, the physiological processes of another person, B, aided by biofeedback to A concerning those processes in B. [From the Greek allos, other, + bios, life, + feedback].

ALLOPATHY - a method of treating disease with the use of surgery, substances, remedies and treatments that are specifically targeted to produce effects different from those caused by the disease itself. Allopathy is a form of medicine used to describe the conventional medical approach to medicine or Western medicine.

All Souls Day – The anniversary of Siddhartha’s death, in which is celebrated in respect of all people who have made their transition.

Almanach du Diable - A French almanac containing predictions for the years 1737 and 1738 and purported to be published from hell. The book, which was a satire against the Jansenists, was suppressed on account of some over-bold predictions and became very rare. The authorship was ascribed to Quesnel, an ironmonger at Dijon. The Jansenists replied with a pamphlet directed against the Jesuits, which was also suppressed. Entitled Almanac de Dieu and dedicated to M. Carré de Montgeron, it was published in 1738 and claimed satirically to be printed in heaven.

Almoganenses - The name given to certain Spanish peoples who, by the flight and song of birds, meetings with wild animals, and various other means, foretold coming events. According to the fifteenth-century humanist Laurentius Valla, They carefully preserve among themselves books which treat of this science, where they find rules of all sorts of prognostications and predictions. The soothsayers are divided into two classes, one, the masters or principals, the other the disciples and aspirants. Another kind of knowledge is also attributed to them, that of being able to indicate the way taken by horses and other beasts of burden which are lost, and the road followed by one or more persons.

They can specify the kind and shape of the ground, whether the earth is hard or soft, covered with sand or grass, whether it is a broad road, paved or sanded, or narrow, twisting paths, and tell also how many passengers are on the road. They can follow the track of anyone and cause thieves to be apprehended. Those writers who mention the Almoganenses, however, do not specify either the period when they flourished or the country or province they occupied, but it seems possible from their name and other considerations that they were Moorish.

Almusseri - A nineteenth-century secret society resembling African associations, with secret rites akin to those of the Cabiric and Orphic Mysteries. Their reception took place once a year in a wood, where the candidate pretended to die. The initiates surrounded the neophyte and chanted funeral songs. He was then brought to the temple erected for the purpose and anointed with palm oil. After 40 days of probation, he was said to have obtained a new soul, was greeted with hymns of joy and conducted home.

Alopecy - A species of charm by the aid of which one can bewitch an enemy whom one wishes to harm.

Alpha – Literally means the first or beginning.  An alpha animal is in charge of a social group, such as a lion pride or a wolf/hyena pack.  Sometimes, there can be multiple alphas, but most frequently only one rules a social group.

Alphabiotics - a form of medicine was originally conceived by Dr. D.V. Chrane in the 1920's. He began practicing his medicine in Abilene in Texas. It was his son Dr. Virgil Chrane Jr. who established Alphabiotics as a unique new profession. A holistic health treatment established in 1971 by Dr. Virgil Chrane, Jr., and grew out of his years of concern with the overarching negative role that stress was playing in the life of contemporary humanity. Chrane came to feel that most adults, due to many years of incorrect responses to stressful situations, were now brain-locked in an unbalanced stress state.

He assumed that coming out of this state can enhance all of one's life, and proposed Alphabiotics is the answer to the problem. He offered Alphabiotics as an alternative to other therapies that were more symptoms-oriented, rather than dealing with the root cause of the problem. The solution to the stress problem Chrane found in New Age metaphysics. The lack of balance leads to a diminution of the Life Energy (also called prana or qi in other systems of thought). The practice of Alphabiotics allows the free flow of Life Energy. Such energy appears to have an intelligence of its own and quickly flows to those places in the body where it is most needed.

The technique of Alphabiotics has the appearance of great simplicity, the patient lying on their back on a table while the practitioner gently manipulates their neck area. The entire treatment takes less than 30 seconds. While appearing simple, the process requires training to properly perform, and Chrane (and his son Michael Chrane) train practitioners through the International Alphabiotics Association. The association may be reached at HCR 83, Box 18-A, Menard, Texas 76859. It has an Internet site at http://www.alphabiotics.com/. Practitioners can now be found across North America and in Australia, the United Kingdom, and countries of continental Europe.

Alpha Wave - A pattern of; smooth regular electrical oscillations in the human brain. These normally occur when a person is awake and relaxed. The machine used to record these waves is called an electroencephalograph, or EEG. Alpha waves have a frequency of 8 to 13 hertz. Also called; alpha rhythm.

Alphitomancy - An ancient method of divination used to prove the guilt or innocence of a suspected person with a loaf of barley. When many persons were accused of a crime and it was desired to find the true culprit, a loaf of barley was made and a portion given to each of the suspects. The innocent people suffered no ill effects, but criminals were said to betray themselves by an attack of indigestion. This practice gave rise to the oath: If I am deceiving you, may this piece of bread choke me. By means of this method, a lover might know if his mistress were faithful to him, or a wife, her husband. The procedure was a follows: A quantity of pure barley flour was kneaded with milk and a little salt, without any leaven. It was then rolled up in a greased paper, and cooked among the cinders.

It was afterward taken out and rubbed with verbena leaves and given to the person suspected of deceit, who, if the suspicion was justified, would be unable to digest it. In ancient times, there was said to be a sacred wood at Lavinium, near Rome, where Alphitomancy was practiced in order to test the purity of women.

THE PRIESTS KEPT A serpent or a dragon in a cavern in the wood. On certain days of the year, the young women were sent there, blindfolded, and carrying a cake made of barley flour and honey. Those who were innocent had their cakes eaten by the serpent while the cakes of the others were refused.

Alpiel - An angel or demon who, according to the Talmud, presides over fruit trees.

Alraun - (German Folklore) Images shaped from the roots of mandrake (see Mandragoras) or from ash or briony. The term was popular in Germany, where it was also used to indicate a witch or a magician. An alraun had to be treated with great care because of its magical properties. It was wrapped or dressed in a white robe with a golden girdle, bathed every Friday, and kept in a box; otherwise, it was believed to shriek for attention. Alrauns were used in magic rituals and were also believed to bring good luck. But possession of them carried the risk of witchcraft prosecution, and in 1630, three women were executed in Hamburg on this charge.

The alraun was difficult to get rid of because there was a superstition that it could only be sold at a higher price than bought, and there are legends that owners who tried to throw an alraun away found it returned to their room. According to the folklore, an alraun assisted easy childbirth, and water in which it had been infused prevented swellings in animals. Because of the large demand for alrauns, they were often carved from the roots of briony when genuine mandrakes were difficult to find. They were exported from Germany to various countries and sold in England during the reign of Henry VIII.

Alruna-Wife - (German Folklore) Considered by ancient Germans to be a form