Directory of the Paranormal 2
Haunting
Used to describe a ghost or series of paranormal events which takes place on more than one occasion within the same building or at the same place. We refer to such a place as being haunted. Objects too, can be haunted and subsequent owners may experience incidents that are paranormal. Haunted items include furniture, jewellery and even the bones of the deceased.
Headless Ghosts
Believed to be the spirits of people who have died by being beheaded. Evidence also suggests that these types of apparition may be connected to the ancient practise of beheading corpses. Many graves have revealed burials with the decapitated head placed between the knees - perhaps in the belief that the dead would not come back to haunt the living.
Headless Horsemen
By tradition the ghost of a rider who has been ambushed or decapitated when riding swiftly. Others believe them to be the figures of ancient Chieftains who having lost their heads in battle, still wander the earth seeking their lost head. Headless coachmen also are thought to either the victim of highwaymen or perhaps were decapitated passing under archways or low obstacles.
Iron
Thought to be a talisman against bad magic, witches and evil spirits. Used by many cultures in the past. Saxon burials frequently contain iron talisman to protect the spirit of the deceased in his journey into the afterlife.
Lemures
The Roman name for evil ghosts. The Romans believed that the spirits of the dead often returned to haunt relatives and friends. Ceremonies and rituals were frequently performed by many cultures to prevent such spirits returning.
Materialisation
An ability claimed by some mediums to produce a spirit into visible sight. One of the first recorded incidents of materialisation took place in America during 1860 by the Fox sisters, founders of modern spiritualism.
Mermaid Pools
Pools of doom, death pools or back water. These refer to many secluded ponds and lakes which are said to be haunted by a certain type of mischief making ghost. Many people report feelings of sadness and melancholy. Most of these pools also have legend of people being drowned and lost forever within their waters. The legend may extend back to ancient times when water dieties were worshipped in many cultures, a practise that often involved human sacrifice - the body being thrown into the water.
Ouija board
Consisting normally of 38 figured cards arranged in a circle. The letters of the alphabet and the number zero are nine are represented together with two further cards with the words yes and no upon them. Derived from the French and German words for 'yes' thus the board is correctly called the 'YesYes' board. It is alleged to act as a mediator between the worlds of the living and the dead. In use a glass or pointer is used to indicate the letters and words being spelled out by the spirits. The board also carries with it a fearsome reputation for demonic possession to those using it although in more enlightened modern times it is now believed to be a form of dowsing.
Phantom Coaches
The phantom coach is thought by many to be a messenger of death. Similar in many respects to the banshee or phantom drummer boy. The coaches are always said to be black, the horses are usually headless as may be the coachman. The driver or passengers are often skeletal or hideous with a fixed maniacal grim. Passing at great speed it is frequently silent and according to legend anyone getting in it's way will be carried off to their doom. This almost exactly tallies with the ancient Norse legend of the eternal hunt of their gods of the underworld.
Poltergeist
The word derived from German verb 'polter' describes a noise caused by banging, knocking or throwing things around. Harry Price in his 1945 book 'Poltergeist over England' describes them thus "A poltergeist is an alleged ghost, elemental, entity, agency with certain unpleasant characteristics, whereas our ordinary ghost is quiet, inoffensive, noiseless and rather benevolent". In all lands and all ages the poltergeist is mischievous, destructive, noisy and erratic. A ghost is described as haunting whereas a poltergeist 'infests'
Psychic
Pertaining to the soul and to the mind, being a mystic, clairvoyant, telepathic or with the ability to be able to see into the future. This should not be confused with 'spiritual' which is often used these days to describe mediums who do not need to psychic to be spiritual but do need to be spiritual in order to be psychic.
Psychomancy
The ancient practised art of foretelling future events by the appearance of ghosts or spirits and what their manifestation means to the living.
Salt
Believed from ancient times to be like iron as a universal panacea against evil spirits and all manner of witchcraft and the Devil. Salt is often used in rituals to subdue a ghost by being placed in all the corners of the haunted building.
Séance
Normally conducted by a medium who claims to be able to contact the deceased relatives or sometimes the spirit guides of the sitters. Sometimes involving materialisation, disembodied voices or knocking and rapping sounds. The word séance is French is it's origin and means a sitting.
Spectre
Once used simply as another word for a ghost but nowadays more commonly used as a descriptor for a ghost which is found to be explainable by hoax or natural occurrences.
Talisman
Any object believed by the wearer or carrier to have the power to protect the owner from death or evil spirits. Talisman are also ascribed the power to bring good fortune, wealth or good health.
Telepathic
An ability to read minds and know the thoughts of other people, either close by or frequently at great distances.
Trance
An altered state of consciousness described as being somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. In this state mediums claim to be able to use their bodies or minds as a channel for waiting spirits or even healing energies.
Vengeful spirits
There are many recorded instances of ghosts returning to avenge themselves of terrible wrongs which were done to them in life. The ghosts of Winnats Pass near to Castleton in the Derbyshire peaks is said to be the spirits of Alan and Clara, brutally murdered in the pass by a group of miners.
Wake/s
An ancient custom thought to originate in Ireland, of sitting and watching over the dead whilst consuming large amounts of alcohol. This tradition is thought to help the spirit of the deceased in their journey into the spirit world. The practise of watching the body is done to prevent the dead body being entered by an evil spirit. The noise of music, singing and dancing at wakes also helps to scare evil spirits away.
Warlock
Used wrongly by many writers to describe a male witch. Many such witches would find such a term insulting as in times past the word also described a traitor.
White Ladies
White ladies are seen throughout the British Isles. Traditionally, they haunt castles, mansions and old halls. A large percentage also frequent water and are seen on bridges or near to open stretches of still or slow moving water.
Witch
A person, normally a woman who practises witchcraft. There are many forms of witches. Most worship nature and call upon gods of fertility to help them with their undertakings. Witches are normally forbidden to tell anyone what they are, or how they practise their art, believing silence is power and power brings knowledge. Modern witches would not use their powers to harm people, instead choosing to help and promote spiritual awareness and greater wisdom of life than what is obviously apparent.
Wizard
A person, usually male possessed with amazing abilities and well versed in the art of magic. Many male witches prefer this title to the perhaps more mundane Warlock.
Wraith
According to ancient tradition, a wraith is the ghost of a person on the verge of death and often appear as an exact likeness of their human counterpart. They are regarded as a death omen and should a person see a wraith of themselves then their days are surely numbered.
