Paranormal Terms Explained: A Clear Guide to Common Psychic, Metaphysical, Occult, Mystical & Spirit Vocabulary

Revised January 2026

As part of the educational mission of my work, I am providing a basic guide on some important definitions in the paranormal, spiritual, esoteric, occult, and mystical world.  If you are interested in these topics or feel that you have some abilities, it’s important to know the vocabulary.

Glossary (Alphabetical)

Definitions (not in Alphabetical order)

My apologies—you’ll need to use the search feature (Ctrl + F) to find specific words. Alphabetizing this list proved too difficult

• Supernatural is attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature and beyond the visible observable universe.  Basically, anything that goes beyond what we can see or touch and that doesn’t seem to follow the know laws of nature.  

• Akashic Records are a metaphysical concept describing a universal library or database believed to store the energetic imprint of every soul’s experiences, thoughts, emotions, and actions across all lifetimes, accessible through spiritual practices like meditation, intention, and prayer. Often called the “Book of Life.”

• Paranormal is anything that is not scientifically explainable.  Anything supposedly thought to be the figment of imagination which cannot be proved by scientific means. Extra terrestrials, hauntings, psychic abilities, ghosts, and unexplained events fit into this category. There is no proof that either do not exist.

• Spiritual is relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.

• Spirit typically denotes a non-physical consciousness that is no longer bound to the physical world. In many belief systems, spirits are understood as souls that have moved on, are at peace, and may return voluntarily to offer guidance, protection, or communication. More broadly, the term spirit can also encompass non-human entities, such as nature spirits, ancestral spirits, deities, or other forms of non-physical consciousness, depending on cultural or spiritual tradition.

• Soul is generally described as the eternal or essential essence of a being—the core identity that exists beyond physical life and lasts forever. Across spiritual, religious, and philosophical frameworks, the soul is associated with consciousness, memory, purpose, and moral or spiritual identity. After death, the soul may continue its existence in a non-physical realm, while terms such as ghost or spirit describe how that soul is perceived, expressed, or encountered.

• Ghost generally refers to the reported presence of a deceased human who appears to remain earthbound. In many spiritual and paranormal traditions, ghosts are described as human souls or residual energy that have not fully moved on due to trauma, sudden death, strong emotional attachment, or unresolved circumstances. Ghosts are often experienced as lingering presences, repetitive behaviors, or hauntings tied to a specific location rather than as fully interactive or aware communicators.

• Magic or Magick (an ancient spelling) is the general category into which have been placed various beliefs and practices considered “separate” from both religion and science.  This will be the new science of the future once we figure it out.  Magick covers all the paranormal human abilities and phenomena that have been written about and documented throughout time.  The word Magic is also used with the performance art skill in which audiences are entertained by staged tricks or illusions of seemingly impossible feats using natural means.  This is stage magic and has nothing to do with the field of the paranormal or real magick.

• Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which the brain perceives recognizable patterns—such as faces or figures—where none actually exist. It commonly explains experiences like seeing faces or bodies in shadows, clouds, photographs, or random visual stimuli and is frequently cited incorrectly in paranormal investigations as a natural explanation for visual misinterpretation.

• Haunted Object is believed to retain energetic or emotional imprints associated with past owners or events. Psychics are able to read that energy using their abilities which is called Psychometry which is a parapsychological belief in reading an object’s history through touch (also called token-object reading) and the real-world practice of administering psychological tests (psychometrist). In parapsychology, it’s a purported psychic ability to sense past events or emotions from objects, often using jewelry or photos, but lacks scientific evidence.

• Shadow Person / Shadow Figure is a reported visual phenomenon described as a dark, human-like shape seen briefly, often in peripheral vision. Psychological and environmental explanations are common. Some people believe they are either non-human evil entities and some feel that it may be a spirit which is not easily seen for a variety of reasons.

• Psychometry is a parapsychological belief in reading an object’s history through touch (also called token-object reading. In parapsychology, it’s a purported psychic ability to sense past events or emotions from objects, often using jewelry or photos, but lacks scientific evidence.

• Sleep Paralysis is a neurological condition in which a person is temporarily unable to move or speak while falling asleep or waking, often accompanied by vivid hallucinations or a sense of presence. Some people believe it may be caused directly by a ghost or spirit.

• Occult refers broadly to esoteric knowledge, practices, or traditions concerned with hidden or symbolic aspects of reality. This may include alchemy, ceremonial magic, astrology, and mystical philosophies. The term does not inherently imply evil, though it is often misunderstood due to cultural or religious bias.

• Pseudoscience describes claims or practices presented as scientific but lacking empirical evidence, rigorous testing, or adherence to the scientific method. Pseudoscientific ideas often rely on anecdote, confirmation bias, or unfalsifiable claims rather than reproducible data.

• Chaos Magic is a modern magical philosophy that emphasizes belief as a flexible tool rather than a fixed system. Practitioners may adopt, discard, or combine belief structures as needed to achieve specific outcomes. It prioritizes experimentation, personal experience, and results over tradition or doctrine. A truly independent practitioner in this field, not restricted by anything.

• Voodoo, more accurately called Vodou, is a structured spiritual religion originating in West Africa and developing prominently in Haiti and Louisiana. It involves ritual, ancestor reverence, spirit intermediaries (lwa), and community worship. Popular media often misrepresents Vodou as harmful or dark, which does not reflect its religious foundations or ethical framework.

• Hoodoo is a system of folk magic and spiritual practice that developed within African American communities in the United States. It blends African spiritual traditions with Indigenous, Christian, and European folk elements and focuses on practical outcomes such as protection, luck, healing, or justice. Hoodoo is distinct from organized religion and is practice-based rather than deity-centered.

• PK Manifestation (Psychokinesis). PK (psychokinesis) refers to the claimed ability of the mind to influence physical objects or systems without physical interaction. In paranormal and parapsychological contexts, PK manifestations are often reported during emotionally charged situations. Scientific evidence for PK remains unproven, and many reported cases are attributed to either psychological, environmental, or physical explanations.

• Poltergeist. A poltergeist is a term used to describe unexplained disturbances such as loud noises, movement of objects, or physical disruptions. In many cases, poltergeist activity is theorized to be related to unconscious emotional or psychological energy from a living person rather than an external spirit entity. The phenomenon remains debated and often has alternative explanations.

• Astrology is the belief system that the positions and movements of celestial bodies correspond to human behavior, personality traits, and life events. While culturally significant and widely practiced, astrology is not supported by scientific evidence and is considered symbolic or interpretive rather than predictive by skeptics.

• Black magic is a term commonly used to describe magical practices believed to be intended for harm, manipulation, or control. The label is highly subjective and culturally dependent; historically, it has often been applied to unfamiliar or marginalized spiritual practices rather than objectively defined methods.

• Tulpa, Egregore, and Servitor are three different things. A tulpa is described in some traditions as a thought-form created through focused mental intention. An egregore refers to a collective thought-form generated by group belief or shared intention. A servitor is a consciously constructed symbolic entity designed to perform a specific purpose. From a skeptical perspective, these are often understood as psychological constructs rather than independent entities.

• Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with understanding aspects of reality that extend beyond the physical world and direct sensory experience. It explores questions about the nature of existence, consciousness, the human mind, and fundamental concepts such as space, time, and causality.

• Spirit Guide, in western spiritualism, is an entity that remains as a disincarnate spirit to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated human being.  Spirit guides are not always of human descent. Some spirit guides live as energy, in the cosmic realm, or as light beings, which are very high level spirit guides. Some spirit guides are persons who have lived many former lifetimes, paid their karmic debts, and advanced beyond a need to reincarnate. Many devotees believe that spirit guides are chosen on “the other side” by human beings who are about to incarnate and wish assistance.  Others feel that a passed loved one could be a spirit guide.

• Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to perceive and interact with what they believe to be a spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into this world. Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and way of life. Shamanic teachings focus on our connection to nature and all of creation.

• Cord Cutting is symbolic practice or ritual intended to release emotional or spiritual attachments.

• Spiritual Parasites are said to be people, behaviors, negative non-human energies or spirits that constantly feed on your life force, slowly exhausting you in the same way physical parasites drain a host.

• Aura is believed to be an energy field surrounding living beings.

• Chakras are the 7 main energy centers along the human spine, described in Eastern traditions, from the base to the crown of the head, each linked to specific functions, colors, and emotions: For example, Root (Muladhara) for grounding (red), Sacral (Svadhisthana) for creativity (orange), Solar Plexus (Manipura) for power (yellow), Heart (Anahata) for love (green), Throat (Vishuddha) for communication (blue), Third Eye (Ajna) for intuition (indigo), and Crown (Sahasrara) for spiritual connection (violet/white)

• Shamanic Journeying is a spiritual technique to enter an altered state of consciousness, often using rhythmic drumming, to connect with inner wisdom, spirit guides, or non-ordinary realities for healing, guidance, or insight, similar to deep meditation but with a structured goal, allowing the practitioner to access deeper knowledge beyond the everyday world. Participants use visualization to travel to spiritual realms (like the lower, middle, or upper worlds) to find answers, heal themselves or others, and receive messages, often encountering spirit animals or guides. 

• Active verses Residual Energy.  
  • Active or intelligent energy refers to spirit energy  which is dynamic in that it can change shape, scope (size), and location.  This energy is a responsive or interactive presence that appears aware of its surroundings and may communicate or react to people.  On the other hand,
  • Residual energy refers to lingering energy believed to remain in a space from the past presence of emotionally charged events or living individuals. It is often described as strong human emotional energy—frequently associated with intense experiences such as anger, fear, or deep sadness—that has been absorbed into an environment. Residual energy is thought to remain fixed in place and does not move or interact consciously. It is typically experienced as repetitive, non-responsive phenomena, such as seeing the same figure appear repeatedly in a location or feeling the same emotional sensations in the same area over time. In paranormal terminology, residual energy is often described as an energetic “recording” of past events rather than an aware or intelligent presence.

• A Sensitive is the broad or generic category of a person who has any type of “magical” abilities like clairvoyance, clairaudience, intuition or clairsentience, etc. A sensitive is also the same an empath, psychic, medium, shaman, etc.  To identify the specific abilities you may have, you can try to figure it out (discern) on your own by investigating and researching the different abilities to learn about them  or you can consult with an expert in the field like a professional Medium or Psychic who can help you identify what you have. I offer this as a 1 hour Abilities Consultation.  Examples of sensitives are Psychics, Mediums, Empaths, and Healers.

• A Psychic is a person that connects with a living person’s energy or soul and then translates what they pick-up into everyday language and meaning in regards to their current and future life.  A psychic can pick up information from people, public buildings, homes, outdoors, etc.  A psychic deals with or “reads” just living people only.   On the other hand, a medium communicates with just the dead or spirits.  A medium has psychic abilities but a psychic may not have mediumship abilities.

• Clairvoyant is a person who has the ability to see images to gather information as a psychic or medium.  The most common way people see clairvoyantly is through subjective clairvoyance, which is much like the way we see things in our imagination – as mental images.  A clairvoyant receives information through visual methods.  It is the power of seeing objects or actions beyond the range of natural vision.  For mediums, objective clairvoyance is a rare ability in that you would see the spirit the same way you would see a living person.  Clairvoyance means clear sight.

• Clairaudient is a person who is able to receive information or messages by “hearing” it. Subjective clairaudience is when messages, music, or guidance is heard in a person’s own thoughts.  For mediums, clairaudience is a rare ability in that you would hear the actual voice of the spirit outside his or her own body; this is called objective clairaudience. Clairaudience means clear hearing.

• Clairsentient is a person who is able to receive information or to perceive energy and emotion by “sensing” or feeling it.  A clairsentient feels or senses the message or information.  Clairsentience means clear sensing or feeling and is the common method of psychics and mediums.

• Claircognizant is a person who receives information by just knowing it.  The information makes direct contact with one’s mind with no effort.  A claircognizant receives information, answers, or messages by it just “dropping” into claircognizant’s mind. Claircognizance means clear knowing.

• Clairolfactant is a person who is able to receive extra-sensory information by smelling scents when no one else in a group/space is able to smell the etheric fragrance.  A claireolfactant has the ability to smell like smoke, fragrances, perfume, etc.  Clairalience, clairolfaction and clairolfactance (yes lots of words for the same thing) is the ability to access spiritual or mediumistic knowledge through smell.

• Clairgustant is a person with the ability of ‘clear taste’ meaning the ability to experience a variety of taste sensations, without actually placing anything on their tongue, or into their mouth. In short, clairgustance is the ability to access spiritual or mediumistic knowledge through taste.  For example, the taste of blood which is like metal because of its iron content or the taste of a particular type of food. Clairgustance or ‘clear taste’ is probably the most unusual of all the sensory abilities.

• Empath is a person with the paranormal ability to feel or sense the mental or emotional state of another person. Another definition is someone with psychic ability of heightened clairsentience (see definition below).  In any case, an empath is basically like a sponge able to absorb (willing or inadvertently) someone else’s mental state or emotional feelings without even knowing it.  For example, an empath can suddenly feel an emotion(s) of others around them without knowing they are doing so. Many times the empath will think those emotions are their own. Empaths are usually adversely affected in groups of people. To live a healthy life, an empath must learn how to shield him/herself from absorbing these feelings and emotions of others when in public spaces by using simple intentional rituals of protection.

• Psychic Knower can mean a couple of things.  I have to admit, this one is a little confusing.  1) A person who is in contact with a discarnate spirit through the use of claircognizance.  Not sure why they would not just call themselves a medium.   2) A person who receives information through claircognizance.

• A Medium is someone who can communicate with discarnate spirits using one or more mediumship abilities, such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, or claircognizance, etc. The most common form of mediumship occurs when the medium serves as the receiver of communication between the spirit world and loved ones who are living.  Mediumship can also occur when a medium communicates with spirits who are not connected to a sitter, such as during a paranormal investigation of a specific location.

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  Types of Mediumship

  There are two primary types of mediumship: Mental Mediumship and Physical Mediumship.

  Mental Mediumship

  Mental mediumship is by far the most commonly practiced form today, with hundreds of thousands of mental mediums worldwide. In mental mediumship, the information, impressions, or evidence from spirit are perceived internally by the medium and are not directly witnessed by anyone else.

  • Uniquely, an Evidential Medium is the most common form of mental mediumship in that they are able to communicate information from the spirit that can be verified unequivocally with evidence by the sitter or recipient: like their physical appearance, their personalty, age of death, how they died, where they lived, what did they do for a living, what their house looked like, a hobby, shared memories, etc. The information passed from the Evidential Medium should be of such a high caliber that there will be no doubt as to its validity.  Once the evidence is presented and verified, then the medium should provide a message from the past loved one to the sitter.

Below are a just a few of the many abilities used in Mental Mediumship:

• Clairvoyance: Is the ability of the medium to ‘see’ spirits. Sometimes the medium sees these spirit people as though they are real people, moving about in a normal and natural way; this is called objective clairvoyance which is a rare ability.  On the other hand, a medium who ‘sees’ spirits as a mental image is practicing subjective clairvoyance. What distinguishes clairvoyance as mental mediumship is the fact that only the medium sees these spirit people. Anybody else who is present does not. The medium can pass on to his or her ‘sitter’ what they are seeing, by way of evidence.
• Clairaudience: Is the ability of the medium to ‘hear’ what the spirits are saying. Sometimes a medium hears these spirit voices as though they are real and coming from another real person in the room with them. This is called objective clairaudience.  On the other hand, a medium ‘that hears’ the voices within their head as their own thoughts is practicing subjective clairaudience.  Both are valid forms of clairaudience.  Again what classifies this as mental mediumship is that the medium is the only person who hears these voices and can pass on to their ‘sitter’ what the spirit person is telling hopefully through the use of evidence.   by way of evidence.
• Clairsentience: Is the ability of the medium to ‘sense’ or feel the presence of spirits and to ‘sense’ what they are saying. It can be used to sense the height, size, and stature of the spirit communicator as well as scents or odors that trigger memories for the received of the information.  Again, the medium is the only person who can sense or feel the presence of these spirit personalities and provide the ‘message’ from a specific spirit that they can then pass on to the living person.
• Inspired or Spirit Writing: Inspired writing occurs when a person writes words and thoughts received from the spirit world. The medium is aware they are writing and uses their own handwriting, but the thoughts and ideas are received from the spirit. This is also called Spirit Writing.  Automatic writing differs significantly in how information is received and is explained in the physical mediumship section below..
• Trance:  Trance mediumship occurs when a spirit communicator shares the consciousness of a medium with the cooperation of that medium.  The medium does not completely surrender control of their mind.  The trance state can be light for evidential mediumship or deeper for discovering greater wisdom and philosophical ideas. During the trance state, the spirit may communicate with a recipient(s) by offering messages, guidance, or answers to questions.

Physical Mediumship

Physical Mediumship differs fundamentally from mental mediumship in that the reported evidence or phenomena are said to be observable by everyone present, including the medium. In accounts of physical mediumship, the spirit world is described as attempting to demonstrate its presence through physical or sensory effects rather than through just information perceived solely by the medium.

According to such accounts, spirits are claimed to work through a medium to influence energy and, at times, physical objects, producing effects that may be perceived through the human senses. Reported phenomena include unexplained sounds or voices, movement of objects, changes in temperature, unusual air currents, scents, visible lights, raps or knocks, and other physical effects attributed to an interaction between the medium’s energy and an external source.

Some reports further suggest that, in rare cases, physical mediumship may involve the temporary formation of physical structures—such as spirit forms, apparitions, or voice mechanisms—through which spirits are said to communicate audibly with the living. Additional phenomena described in historical and anecdotal accounts include levitation, transfiguration, and the alleged appearance or movement of objects from unknown sources.

IMPORTANT: Claims of physical mediumship are considered extremely rare and remain highly controversial. Throughout history, many alleged demonstrations have been subject to skepticism, critical investigation, and debunking, with some cases later attributed to misinterpretation, environmental factors, or deliberate fraud. For this reason, careful discernment and reputable oversight are essential when evaluating claims of physical mediumship, which remains one of the most disputed areas within paranormal research and spiritual inquiry.

Forms of physical mediumship

Automatic Writing: Automatic writing occurs when a person writes words and thoughts received from the spirit world.  The letters are NOT written in the medium’s own handwriting and the ideas allegedly come from the spirits themselves.  The medium is just the vehicle and being used by the spirit to write the message which can be a book, a love letter, a quick message to a loved one, etc.  The writer has no idea what is being written at the time.

Table tipping:  Table tipping is when the medium is allegedly able to focus and encourage a spirit to physically move (slightly) or vibrate a table with all sitters placing their hands lightly on the table top.

Transfiguration: Transfiguration is described in some accounts as an extremely rare form of mediumship in which spirits are said to manifest visually through a medium. These reports claim that the facial features of a deceased individual appear to overlay or alter the appearance of the medium’s face. According to such accounts, the medium enters a trance-like or altered state of consciousness, during which a substance often referred to as “ectoplasm” is reported to form near the face. This substance is then said to change shape, allegedly taking on the features of the spirit attempting to communicate. Claims of transfiguration remain highly controversial and are approached with significant skepticism due to the lack of consistent, independently verified evidence and the historical association of similar phenomena with misinterpretation or deliberate deception.

Direct voice phenomena
Direct voice phenomena are described in some accounts as instances in which disembodied voices are reportedly heard speaking from different locations within a room, audible to all present. These voices are said to occur without an identifiable physical source.

Rapping
Rapping refers to reported knocking or tapping sounds used as a form of communication during séances. According to these accounts, a medium may ask questions and assign meaning to the sounds—such as one knock for “yes” and two knocks for “no.” Such experiences are widely debated and are often subject to alternative explanations.

Apporting and Materialization
Apporting is the claimed paranormal movement or appearance of objects, either transferring an item from one location to another or producing an object from an unknown source including one’s mouth. These reports are often associated with séances or poltergeist activity. Materialization is described similarly, involving the alleged appearance of physical objects—such as flowers or fruit—without an observable physical origin. Both phenomena remain highly controversial.

Learn More

• Learn more about me:  Kevin Paul Psychic Medium 
• My full suite of services (like an Abilities Analysis, Readings and more) at the Services Provided link
• Enroll in The Academy of Real Magick for your one on one on-line remote coaching experience to identify and develop your own abilities under the guidance of an expert who has been there.  

References:

Nohavec, Janet, and Suzanne Giesemann. Where Two Worlds Meet: How to Develop Evidential Mediumship. Aventine Press, 2010.  Chapter 2:  What is Mediumship? pages 20-26.

Holland, John (2010, September 30).  Seeing Is Believing:  Witnessing The Many Faces of Spirit.  Retrieved May 21, 2019, from https://www.healyourlife.com/seeing-is-believing