Mystic:

1. A person who has mystical experiences.
2. Used loosely to refer to psychics, mediums or romantics.

(See also: Mystic , Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

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All psychic phenomena is available to all of us equally. We will each interpret it in ways that serve our own purposes. This may include ignoring it, or discounting it, according to a logical, scientific framework. When interpreting such phenomena ask yourself what your purpose is in the way you interpret it. Being honest about your intention is the best protection from foolish conclusions and actions.

Read more here: » Psychic Ability: In The Psychic Realm

A dictionary of parapsychology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

For more dictionary entries, see » Mediums Dictionary

There is no such thing as eternal damnation or eternal hell-fire for the sinners. It cannot be. It is a theory that has long been exploded. Eternal damnation is an ungodly doctrine, a terror and nightmare for ages. To make people desist from doing wicked actions a terrifying description of hell is given.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Asurya Loka

CONTROL - discarnate spirit that seems to take physical control of a medium. Some celebrated psychic control and the mediums through whom they communicate. (NAD)

(See also: CONTROL , Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

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A dictionary of Parapsychology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

For more dictionary entries, see » Mediums Dictionary

If the phenomena we are considering had been limited to the movement of objects, they would have remained, as we have already remarked, within the domain of physical science; but so far was this from being the case, that they speedily proved to be only the forerunners of facts of a character still more extraordinary. For it was soon found that the impulsion communicated to inert objects was not the mere product of a blind mechanical force, but that it revealed the action of an intelligent cause, a discovery that opened up a new field of observation, and promised a solution of many mysterious problems.

From "The Spirits book" By Allan Karde (1804-1869.

Read more here: » Spiritism, Introduction of The Spirits book - Part II of VI

Spirits differing very widely from one another as regards their knowledge and morality, it is evident that the same question may receive from them very different answers, according to the rank at which they have arrived; exactly as would be the case if it were propounded alternately to a man of science, an ignoramus, and a mischievous wag. The important point, as previously remarked, is to know who is the spirit to whom we are addressing our question.

From "The Spirits book" By Allan Karde (1804-1869.

Read more here: » Spiritism, Introduction of The Spirits book - Part V of VI

Spiritualism:

A religion based upon the belief in life after death and the experiences of various mediums over the last hundred years; organized primarily to provide legal protection for the mediums and their followers.

(See also: Spiritualism , Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

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channeling (mediumship): transmission of information or energy from a nonphysical source through humans. These persons - called channels, channelers, or mediums - are sometimes in an apparent trance during the communication.

Sources include angels, discarnate former humans, extraterrestrials, and other levels of consciousness.

(See also: Channelling - Mediumship , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

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Hells are not imaginary fiction as ordinarily conceived of by the modern rationalistic mind. The empiricist believes only in experience of sense-contact and feels himself unable to rise above the dictates of the intellect. But it does not mean that man has reason to overlook facts beyond his comprehension

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Hell Or Naraka

Many persons regard the opposition of the learned world as constituting, if not a proof, at least a very strong presumption, of the falsity of Spiritism. We are not of those who affect indifference in regard to the judgement of scientific men; on the contrary, we hold them in great esteem; and should think it an honour to be of their number, but we cannot consider their opinion as being, under all circumstances, necessarily and absolutely conclusive.

From "The Spirits book" By Allan Karde (1804-1869.

Read more here: » Spiritism, Introduction of The Spirits book - Part III of VI

Channeling: Transmission of information or energy from a nonphysical source through humans. These persons called "channels," "channelers," or "mediums" are sometimes in an apparent trance during the communication. Sources include angels, discarnate former humans, extraterrestrials, and levels of consciousness.

(See also: Channeling , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

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Channel, Channeler

A 'sensitive' who allows spiritual entities to use his/her body and mind as a link between this plane and other planes of consciousness for the purpose of receiving psychic information or healing energy. Formerly called mediums.

(See also: Channel , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

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Possession

1)    A ritual trance state, learned through extensive training and achieved in religious ceremonies, during which individuals are said to experience the indwelling presence of powerful spirits. Possession may be an involuntary condition or one deliberately sought. It may be a peripheral experience, judged negatively by the culture, for which an expert in curing (exorcism) is required. It may be the central experience of a religious group, highly valued and desired, for which an expert guide sometimes serves as an enabler. Possession is a relatively widespread phenomenon found in religions ranging from Shinto to Santeria, but the experience of or belief in possession occurs only under specific conditions. Possession trance cannot occur unless the religious community acknowledges both the independent existence of spirits and the reality of possession. Other factors supportive of possession include a high degree of rigidity and differentiation in social roles outside the religion, the acceptance of psychological vulnerability for the sake of wisdom, and a religious worldview including multiple spirit worlds.

2)    The traditional Christian and popular Western view of possession limits it to the unwanted presence of demons and evil spirits who maltreat the human host, although glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, and the experience of being "moved by the Spirit" are related phenomena. Other religions, with more flexible understanding of the varieties of spiritual experience, encourage the direct communication with them that possession rituals allow; possession is thus an important element in many indigenous religions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas, as well as in the African-influenced new religions of Umbanda, Santeria, and Voodoo. In those communities, greater and lesser spirits are worshiped directly when they descend into the bodies of devotees or specially trained mediums; once among their followers, the spirits transform the behavior and appearance of the one possessed and offer transcendent advice for the spiritual and material problems of their congregations.

(See also: Possession , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

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Materializations. In Spiritualism the word signifies the objective appearance of the so-called "Spirits" of the dead, who reclothe themselves occasionally in matter; i.e., they form for themselves out of the materials at hand, which are found in the atmosphere and the emanations of those present, a temporary body hearing the human likeness of the defunct as he appeared, when alive. Theosophists accept the phenomenon of "materialization"; but they reject the theory that it is produced by " Spirits", i.e., the immortal principles of the disembodied persons. Theosophists hold that when the phenomenon is genuine - and it is a fact of rarer occurrence than is generally believed - it is produced by the larve, the eidola or Kamalokic "ghosts" of dead personalities. (See "Kamadhatu", "Kamaloka" and "Kamarupa".)

As Kamaloka is on the earth plane and differs from its degree of materiality only in the degree of its plane of consciousness, for which reason it is concealed from our normal sight, the occasional apparition of such shells is as natural as that of electric balls and other atmospheric phenomena. Electricity as a fluid, or atomic matter (for Theosophists hold with Maxwell that it is atomic), though invisible, is ever present in the air, and manifests under various shapes, but only when certain conditions are there to "materialize" the fluid, when it passes from its own on to our plane and makes itself objective. Similarly with the eidola of the dead. They are present, around us, but being on another plane do not see us any more than we see them.

But whenever the strong desires of living men and the conditions furnished by the abnormal constitutions of mediums are combined together, these eidola are drawn - nay, pulled down from their plane on to ours and made objective. This is Necromancy ; it does no good to the dead, and great harm to the living, in addition to the fact that it interferes with a law of nature. The occasional materialization of the "astral bodies" or doubles of living persons is quite another matter.

These "astrals" are often mistaken for the apparitions of the dead, since, chameleon-like, our own "Elementaries", along with those of the disembodied and cosmic Elementals, will often assume the appearance of those images which are strongest in our thoughts. In short, at the so-called "materialization" seances it is those present and the medium, who create the peculiar likeness of the apparitions. Independent "apparitions" belong to another kind of psychic phenomena. Materializations are also called "form-manifestations" and "portrait statues". To call them materialized spirits is inadmissible, for they are not spirits but animated portrait-statues, indeed.

(See also: Materializations , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

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Poltergeist:

German word meaning 'noisy or troublesome spirit'. Poltergeist activity may include unexplained noises, movements of objects, and outbreaks of fire, floods, pricks or scratches to a person's body. Unlike haunting, which are associated with specific locations, poltergeists typically focus on a person (the focal person or poltergeist agent) who is often a young child or adolescent. Many physical mediums experienced poltergeist activity in their childhood.

(See also: Poltergeist , Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

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Iamblichus (Ancient Greek). A great Theurgist, mystic, and writer of the third and fourth centuries, a Neo-Platonist and philosopher, born at Chalcis in Cœle-Syria. Correct biographies of him have never existed because of the hatred of the Christians; but that which has been gathered of his life in isolated fragments from works by impartial pagan and independent writers shows how excellent and holy was his moral character, and how great his learning. He may be called the founder of theurgic magic among the Neo-Platonists and the reviver of the practical mysteries outside of temple or fane.

His school was at first distinct from that of Plotinus and Porphyry, who were strongly against ceremonial magic and practical theurgy as dangerous, though later he convinced Porphyry of its. advisability on some occasions, and both master and pupil firmly believed in theurgy and magic, of which the former is principally the highest and most efficient mode of communication with one’s Higher Ego, through the medium of one’s astral body. Theurgic is benevolent magic, and it becomes goetic, or dark and evil, only when it is used for necromancy or selfish purposes; but such dark magic has never been practised by any theurgist or philosopher, whose name has descended to us unspotted by any evil deed.

So much was Porphyry (who became the teacher of Iamblichus in Neo-Platonic philosophy) convinced of this, that though he himself never practised theurgy, yet he gave instructions for the acquirement of this sacred science. Thus he says in one of his writings, "Whosoever is acquainted with the nature of divinely luminous appearances fasmata ( knows also on what account it is requisite to abstain from all birds (and animal food) and especially for him who hastens to be liberated from terrestrial concerns and to be established with the celestial gods". (See Select Works by T. Taylor, p. 159.) Moreover, the same Porphyry mentions in his Life of Plotinus a priest of Egypt, who, "at the request of a certain friend of Plotinus, exhibited to him, in the temple of Isis at Rome, the familiar daimon of that philosopher ". In other words, he produced the theurgic invocation (see "Theurgist") by which Egyptian Hierophant or Indian Mahatma, of old, could clothe their own or any other person’s astral double with the appearance of its Higher EGO, or what Bulwer Lytton terms the " Luminous Self", the Augoeides, and confabulate with It.

This it is which Iamblichus and many others, including the medieval Rosicrucans, meant by union with Deity. Iamblichus wrote many books but only a few of his works are extant, such as his "Egyptian Mysteries" and a treatise "On Demons", in which he speaks very severely against any intercourse with them. He was a biographer of Pythagoras and deeply versed in the system of the latter, and was also learned in the Chaldean Mysteries. He taught that the One, or universal MONAD, was the principle of all unity as well as diversity, or of Homogeneity and Heterogeneity; that the Duad, or two (" Principles"), was the intellect, or that which we call Buddhi-Manas; three, was the Soul (the lower Manas), etc. etc. There is much of the theosophical in his teachings, and his works on the various kinds of demons (Elementals) are a well of esoteric knowledge for the student. His austerities, purity of life and earnestness were great. Iamblichus is credited with having been once levitated ten cubits high from the ground, as are some of the modern Yogis, and even great mediums.

(See also: Iamblichus , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

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Spiritualism

A movement that began in 1848 with the ÒrapsÓ of the Fox Sisters (Kate and Margaret) in Hydesville, NY. Normally associated with mediums or channelers, who contact the spirits of the deceased .

(See also: Spiritualism , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Mediums Dictionary

A dictionary of Parapsycology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

For more dictionary entries, see » Mediums Dictionary

Elementals. Spirits of the Elements. The creatures evolved in the four Kingdoms or Elements - earth, air, fire, and water. They are called by the Kabbalists, Gnomes (of the earth), Sylphs (of the air), Salamanders (of the fire), and Undines (of the water).

Except a few of the higher kinds, and their rulers, they are rather forces of nature than ethereal men and women. These forces, as the servile agents of the Occultists, may produce various effects; but if employed by" Elementaries" (q.v.)_in which case they enslave the mediums - they will deceive the credulous.

All the lower invisible beings generated on the 5th 6th, and 7th planes of our terrestrial atmosphere, are called Elementals Peris, Devs, Djins, Sylvans, Satyrs, Fauns, Elves, Dwarfs, Trolls, Kobolds, Brownies, Nixies, Goblins, Pinkies, Banshees, Moss People, White Ladies, Spooks, Fairies, etc., etc., etc.

(See also: Elementals , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

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Diakka. Called by Occultists and Theosophists "spooks" and "shells", i.e., phantoms from Kama Loka. A word invented by the great American Seer, Andrew Jackson Davis, to denote what he considers untrustworthy "Spirits".

In his own words: "A Diakka (from the Summerland) is one who takes insane delight in playing parts, in juggling tricks, in personating opposite characters; to whom prayer and profane utterances are of equi-value; surcharged with a passion for lyrical narrations; . . . morally deficient, he is without the active feelings of justice, philanthropy, or tender affection.

He knows nothing of what men call the sentiment of gratitude; the ends of hate and love are the same to him; his motto is often fearful and terrible to others - SELF is the whole of private living, and exalted annihilation the end of all private life. Only yesterday, one said to a lady medium, signing himself Swedenborg, this: ‘Whatsoever is, has been, will be, or may be, that I AM.; and private life is but the aggregative phantasms of thinking throb- lets, rushing in their rising onward to the central heart of eternal death’

(The Diakka and their Victims; "an explanation of the False and Repulsive in Spiritualism.") These "Diakka" are then simply the communicating and materializing so-called "Spirits" of Mediums and Spiritualists.

(See also: Diakka , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

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