Glossary of Paranormal Terms

Agent

A person who triggers or is the focus of Poltergeist activity.

Altered State of Consciousness (ASC)

Refers to any state of consciousness that is different from a normal state of waking or sleeping. ASCs include hypnosis, trance, ecstasy, psychedelic and meditative experience.

Amorphous

Without form or shape. Generally used to refer to matter or energy that has no definitive shape.

Angels

Benevolent spiritual beings who help people in need.

Anomalous Experience

Refers to unusual experiences that cannot be explained in terms of current scientific knowledge.

Anomalous Phenomena

Unusual phenomena that cannot be explained in terms of current scientific knowledge.

Anoxia

See Cerebral Anoxia

Apparition

When an entity or spirit takes a form that can be seen.

Apport

A physical object which appears in a way that cannot be explained. Apports seeming to come from nowhere and are often associated with the seance room and physical mediumship

Asport

Refers to an object that disappears then reappears during paranormal phenomena.

Astral Projection

Also known as an OBE out of body experience. Refers to a situation where the soul voluntarily or involuntarily leaves the body and travels to the Astral Plane or another location on this plane.

Augury

See Divination

Aura

Energy field that surrounds living things and sometimes objects in all directions.

Automatic Writing

Method of communication with entities or spirit world where an entity or spirit uses the hand of the subject to write words or draw pictures.

Automatism

Refers to subconscious communication with the conscious by means of a device or apparatus such as a pendulum, ouija board or automatic writing.