Dictionary of Stuff

[Niccolo Salomanos]

Niccolo Salomanos Dictionary of Paranormal Terms and Phrases

Ed. 2

Published January 2010

First published November 2007


This dictionary contains (or will eventually) useful words, terms and phrases that you will find in your travels among the paranormal.

It will be alphabetised, just like normal dictionaries.
PM definitions to me! As you'll note, this topic is locked. That's to stop ridiculous topic inflation like happened before.

[1] A-G
[2] H-M
[3] N-T
[4] U-Z

 

[Niccolo Salomanos]

A - G

A
Akashic Records: {A-kah-shick wreck-ords} Supposed repositories of information on the past and present contained within the astral realm. Very little else is actually known about the Akashic records.

Astral Projection: (As-tral Pro-jeck-shin) The act of pushing one's soul-body/subtle body into the Astral realm or plane, a completely separate plane of existence. This cannot be done while concious, as at this time one's ties are too strong to the physical plane. Astral projection can NOT affect the physical realm DIRECTLY.

B

C
Chakra: (Cha-kra) Wheels of energy that exist at certain points along the body and provide the main energetic powerhouse and conduits for the Charra system. There are seven main ones, located in the centreline of the body, as well as various other ones scattered throughout the body.

Construct: {Con-struck-t} Construct is a blanket term used by mages and psions to cover any spell or psionic work that is 'programmed' to do something. This is pretty much anything more complicated than balls of energy.

Correspondence: (Co-res-pon-dins) A correlation between a certain object or concept and the underlying symbolism. For example, Tuesday corresponds with Mars, fire, and passion. The moon corresponds with menstruation, psychic power, and the night.

Cryokinesis: (Cry-oh-ki-nee-sis) the act of slowing down the molecules in a substance by removing their kinetic energy, thereby making the object colder. This is another bona fide psionic art and one of the more difficult to accomplish.

Crystal: {Chris-tuhl} A crystal is a specific manner of arranging atoms and molecules to produce a regular lattice. On the macroscopic level, it tends to produce angular lines and regular shapes.
Crystals are commonly used in spells and psionics because they can hold plenty of energy. Their lattices also create natural directionality which can be of advantage to some spells and constructs.

D

Demon: {Dee-muhn} Debate surrounds exactly what a demon is. There are kinds that are born within minds, of fears and strong emotions. There may be other kinds from other planes of existence, though this has not been confirmed. If nothing else, they should not be trifled with.

E
Empathy: (Em-pa-thee) In normal terms, empathy is the ability to understand what another is feeling, normally because you have felt that yourself. In paranormal terms, however, it is actually experiencing those feelings yourself. As an art it is hard to classify where it come from - there are natural empaths, and there is the possibility of learning it.

F

Fae {Fay} Also known as fairies, fey and a few others, Fae are the spirits that inhabit the world aroud us. They exist only partly in this realm. Fae are beings of power, some of them capable of immense feats. Contact with Fae is possible and fairly common in wooded areas untouched by man. It is believed that some Fae are allergic to iron.

Familiars: {Fah-mill-ee-ah} A familiar is a pet or animal you know well that is specially bonded to you. Generally an animal that one feels is magic(k)ally inclined towards them. Most often seen with witches and warlocks, but not limited to paranormal people by any means.

Fluffies: People with a child-like view of magick, normally gained from reading new-age books acquired in mainstream stores. (Generally, one will not find useful books in a Barnes and Noble - you'll have to search better than that)

G
Goblin: (Gob-lin) The common name for Earth elementals, they acquired this name due to the fact that the leader is known as Gob. Apparently look like gnomes.

Grimoire: {Grim-wah-r] A grimoire is a textbook or manual of magic. They tend to cover a range of topics, from the creation of talismans to divination. Many grimoires in existence today are in fact fakes, though true grimoires are treasures.  

[Niccolo Salomanos]

H - M

H
Hollywood version: A view taken by outsiders that reflects what they see in the movies. Very similar to a 'fluffy' view... but without the acceptance.

I

J

K
Kundulini: (Coon-duh-lee-nee) Physical and sexual energy that exists at the base of the torso, situated around, in and through the sexual organs.

L

M
Mage: (May-j) A person who does use magick on a regular basis at at a higher level of skill than a witch; typically into ceremonial magicks.

Magick: (Ma-jick) Also known occasionally as 'magic', magick is the concious movement of physical and metaphysical energies to directly effect a desired target object or concept. The k is added by many people of this guild and others to differentiate it from the parlour tricks that people call magic.  

[Niccolo Salomanos]

N - T

N

O
Otherkin: A being with a soul that is originally of a different animal species to their current body's. Different to a Therian in that Otherkin believe their souls to have once been mythological beings.

P
Pagan: (Pay-gun) An umbrella term for religions that are not of Judeo-Christian decent, and are either reconstructed from an ancient religion, or directly passed down from ancient times. Or else, in the instance of Hinduism and Buhddism, just worshipped.

Paranormal: {Pa-rah-normal) This term is used to refer to anything that is not 'normal', in that it defies logic. This includes, but is not limited to; ghostwalking, vampirism, psionics, telepathy and alien sightings.

Phantom Limbs: {Fan-tum lims} This term refers to any subtle-body extensions, of which wings are one kind. Wings are by far the most common kind. Sensing them and mastering their use is often considered very difficult. Often found to be extremely useful within the astral plane, as the phantom limbs are extra limbs extending from one's astral body.

Psionics: {sigh-on-ix} Psionics is a blanket term for the art of mentally manipulating energy. Telekinesis, cryo/pyrokinesis, empathy and many other skills can fall under this banner. The term for a practitioner varies. Psion, psionicist, sometimes psychic.

Q
Qi: (Pronounced chi) A form of spiritual energy, Qi extends from the spine - or wherever you envision your soul to be - and can be seen as a 'soft' energy, due to the manner in which it is generally manipulated.
--This may or may not be the same thing as ki. The guild seems to have differing opinions, so until we get an unbiased source, meh--

R

S
Salamander: (Sa-lah-man-der) The common term for the lizard-like, human-headed Fire elementals. Bigger than the 'normal' salamander and are completely at home in fiery conditions.

Sigil: (Si-jill) A pictoral symbol of a word or statement of intent. The symbol is usually derived from the words used to state the intent, or an illustration of said intent.

Sorceror/Sorceress: (Sawr-ser-or/Sawr-ser-iss) A mage whose effects can be felt even by people with no experience in this kind of thing.

Spell: A structured use of magick, normally involving symbols and/or objects.

Spirit Guide: These guides are generally explained to be more of the metaphysical realm, seen in visions, dreams, or meditative states, etc. They may be distinguished from other mundane creatures by different colourings or trinkets worn/carried. These guides may teach you about yourself or about other things. They may also be able to speak to you.

Sylph: (Silf) Wind elementals. They tend to travel in groups, and have the appearance of faeries. They also tend to be naked.

T

Talisman: {Tah-lis-man} A talisman is an object (often a piece of jewellery) that is imbue with magical or psionic power to provide various forms of protection. Permanence is not possible without great effort, as the spell or construct requires charging with energy.

Telekinesis: {Teh-leh-ki-nee-sis} (Also called psychokinesis) Telekinesis is the power to move objects with the force of your mind, a stock-standard psionic art.

Therian: {Ther-ee-un} A therian believes that in one or more of their past lives they were some form of earthly animal. They may also believe they just don't have a human soul, are in the wrong body, or they have special connection with an animal spirit guide. (The definition varies with the person in question.) To date the most common is a wolf.

Totem: {Toe-tem} A totem is a physically existing animal, like a familiar - but unlike the familiar, a totem animal tends to be wildlife (not a single, specific animal but a species or three instead) that influences your life. Birds that always catch your eye, animals that follow you, always seem to be nearby, and so on.  

[Niccolo Salomanos]

U - Z

U
Undine: (Un-deen) A water elemental creature. It travels in mist and fog, can't stray far from a water source and looks like a mermaid, though some have been known to have legs.

V
Veil: (V-ay-l) The Veil is a supposed 'curtain' of sorts that separates this world from the next. Very little is known about the veil, except that tearing it would likely not be intelligent.

W
Wicca: (Wi-ka) A secretive religion founded by Gerald Gardener in the 1950s that entails worshipping a fertility God and Goddess within a coven liniaged to Gerald Gardeners original coven. A practitioner is called a Wiccan.
Neo Wicca: A "religion" or "spiritual structure" based on outer court knowledge of Wiccan structures and deities- a lot more open for personal editing and is commonly practiced in solitude.

Wings: (Wings) Wings are subtle-body extensions of your soul; they vary hugely in size, shape and colour. Seeing them is difficult, using them even moreso. They are utilised for a number of tasks, any of which can be found within the Q&A thread in the Main Hall

Witch: (Which) A person knowledgable and able in the ways of magick. They may or may not actually use it on a regular basis, however.

X

Y

Z  

[Niccolo Salomanos]

This space is reserved for anything special that this thread needs.

Also to bump this back to the top with the other sticky topics.