The following is a list of technical words and phrases which may prove of value to the reader, taken from the 1989 edition of Real Magic. This will be updated over the next few months to incorporate new terms and definitions, as well as polytheological vocabulary, with internal hyperlinks activated, and will eventually grow into A Polytheological Dictionary for Neopagans. Readers should remember that many of these definitions and coinages are my own, and that other authorities may disagree with me. All definitions should be taken, regardless of the source, as tentative approaches to complex realities. Absorption: An antipsi talent for absorbing the power out of psychic energy fields, including those around other beings. See Tapping and Vampire, Psychic. Achromatics: The "colors" black, grey and white; used occasionally to refer to moralistic schools of occultism. Active Ritual: One in which those persons raising and focussing the psychic energies are not the main targets intended to be changed. Active Talent: A psychic talent that involves the discharge of energy or data from the agent to the target. Adept: One who is very skilled in magic or mysticism. Agent: The person or animal exercising a psychic talent. Air: One of the main "elements" in occultism; associated in the West with thought, knowledge, yellow, blue, swords, activity, daring, light, communication, heat, dampness, etc. Akasa or Akasha: One of the "elements" in Indian and Tantric occultism, equivalent in most ways to the "ether" concept and/or that of "astral" matter. Akasic Records: A concept in Indian metaphysics, of a gigantic repository of all the memories of every incarnation of every being; some gifted ones are said to be able to "read" these records (possibly through retrocognition or the clair senses) and to gain data about past events. See Switchboard. Amplification: A psi or antipsi talent for boosting the power levels of psychic energy fields. Anachronism: Something that appears to be from a time period other than the one in which it is perceived; as in medieval knights and ladies in modern America or astronomical computers in the Stone Age. Angel: A personification of what we consider good or pleasant. In theoilogy, a being just below the main god(s) in power for good. In some magical systems, a sort of "psychic robot." Angelology: Medieval science of studying angels. Question: how many angels can dance on the head of a photon? Answer: give the physicists who are working on quantizing consciousness another decade or two. Animal-Psi or Anpsi: A little-used term for psychic phenomena involving the interactions of animals with humans, each other and the environment. Animism: The belief that everything is alive. The Law of Personification taken as a statement of universal reality rather than as one of psychic convenience. Anthropomancy: Divination from human entrails. Anti-Psi or Antipsi: A categorical term for several genuine psychic talents that (for the most part) serve to frustrate, avoid, confuse, destroy or otherwise interfere with the operation of normal psi; they can affect the power and/or information content and/or vector of psi fields within range. APK: See Atomic Psychokinesis. Apopsi or Avoidance: An antipsi power that appears to generate an energy field into which no external psi field can penetrate; may work through transmutation, retuning or aportation; may interfere with internal psi fields as well. Aportation: a PK talent involving the seemingly instantaneous movement of an object from one location in space-time to another, apparently without going through the normal space-time in between. See Teleportation. Archetype: (1) Original astral form of a phenomenon; (2) In the psychology of C. G. Jung, an inherited idea or mode of thought derived from the experiences of the species and present in the unconscious of the individual who picks it up from the collective unconscious of the species. Asceticism: A method of altering the state of one's consciousness through the avoidance of comfort and pleasure; when extreme, may become masochism. Aspect, Astrological: Angle formed between two items on an astrological chart. Assimilation: A technique of psychic healing involving the picking up of a patient's pain and/or illness by the healer, who experiences it personally for a short time, after which it is supposed to vanish in both patient and healer; may also be done accidentally. Association: Connection or correlation between two or more objects, ideas or beings; thus forming a pattern. Association, Law of: "If any two or more patterns have elements in common, the patterns interact 'through' those common elements and control of one pattern facilitates control over the other(s), depending (among other factors) upon the number of common elements involved." Astral Planes: Subjectively real "places" where some astral projectors perceive themselves as traveling; said to be multiple "levels" of (a) material density in the same space, and/or (b) awareness and concentration. Astral Projection: An OOBE or Psi talent that may involve traveling GESP with the image of a body and/or the separation of a "less dense" body from the normal physical one. Astrology: Divination through the correlation of earthly events with celestial patterns. Athame: Ritual dagger used by Neopagan Witches, borrowed by Gerald Gardner from medieval grimoires. Atomic Psychokinesis or APK: Psychokinesis done upon the molecular, atomic or subatomic levels; a subcategory of PK. Augury: Divination by means of whatever is most handy at the time. Aura: One or more energy fields supposedly generated by and surrounding all beings and many objects; those persons blessed with clairvoyance or other psychic talents can "read" the patterns of energy and determine information about the person or object. See Kirlian Photography. Belle Indifference: Lack of interest or concern on the part of a "hysteric" or RSPKer towards unusual events occurring in or around him or her. Beltane: Celtic fire festival beginning the summer half of the year; starts at sunset on May 4th and is also known as Bealtaine, Galan- Mai, Roodmas, Walpurgistag, St. Pierre's Day, Red Square Day, etc. Celebrated by most Neopagans and many Marxists as a major religious holiday. Bibliomancy: Divination through the random selection of words or phrases taken out of books, especially the Bible. Biocurrents: Electrochemical energy currents generated by living cells. Biological Radio: One Russian term for telepathy. Biophysics: The physics of biological phenomena. Bit: From "binary digit," a unit of data equal to the result of a choice between two equally probably alternatives, used in computer technology. Eight bits usually equals one "byte." Black Magic: A racist, sexist, creedist and classist term used to refer to magic being done for "evil" purposes or by people of whom the user of the term disapproves. Blessing: The use of magic to benefit an object or being. Bon: The native Tibetan religion that later merged with Buddhism and Tantrism. Bonding Control: A PK talent involving the creation and/or alteration of bonding patterns on the intermolecular, interatomic and subatomic levels; thus causing disintegration or cohesion. See Geller Effect. Boomerang Curse: Spell designed to make an attacker suffer the effects of whatever hostile magic they may have launched at the user; a variation of the "mirror effect," probably operates through reddopsi. Cabala: See Kabbalah. Cartomancy: Divination through the use of cards, especially Tarot Cards. Casting Runes: (1) Divination through the use of small objects which have been inscribed with runic letters. (2) A method of focusing or firing a spell through the carving or writing of runes. Catapsi: An antipsi talent for the generation of strong fields of psychic static, frequently at such high intensity that all other psi fields within range are disrupted and/or drowned out, usually with the information content of those fields collapsing first. Cause and Effect, Law of: "If exactly the same actions are done under exactly the same conditions, they will usually be associated with exactly the same 'results'." Cellular Psychokinesis or CPK: A subcategory of PK, involving the use of what is probably several different APK talents in order to psychically affect the structure and behavior of living organisms, working primarily on the cellular level. Centre or Center, The: Point of intersection of various planes or modes of existence, including space and time, and which can be used for (at least subjective) transportation between them. Ceremonial Magic: Schools or methods of magic which place their emphasis upon long and complex rituals, especially of the Medieval and later European traditions; often degenerates into ritualism. Chakras: Several psychic centers of power associated with different parts of the human body in Tantric systems of anatomy. Chalice: Cup used in rituals and usually associated in western occultism with "element" of Water (though it often contains more potent fluids). Circuit: A pattern or connection between whole or partial metapatterns within the Switchboard; often may be (or be associated with) an archetype, deity or other spirit. Clairaudience: ESP input as if it were normal hearing, without the medium of another mind. Clairempathy: A term I once tried to get people to use instead of "psychometry," but which I am no longer using myself. Clairgustance: ESP input as if it were normal tasting, without the medium of another mind. Clairolfaction: ESP input as if it were normal smelling, without the medium of another mind or of a cosmetics company. Clair Senses: General term for all the forms of ESP that start with the prefix "Clair-." Clairtangency: ESP input as if it were normal touching, without the medium of another mind. Clairvoyance: ESP input as if it were normal seeing, without the medium of another mind; often used as a term for clair senses, psychometry and/or precognition. See Remote Viewing. Classification: Association of some phenomenon into a predetermined pattern or class of phenomena. Cleric: A person who uses both passive and active talents and rites for both thaumaturgical and theurgical purposes, for personal and public benefit. Cold Control: The use of temperature control to freeze or thaw objects or beings. Color: An interpretation of the ways in which photons hit your eyes; one way to see the difference between two objects of identical size, shape, distance and illumination. Color Classifications: Sets of associations between various colors and particular concepts, interests or acts. Computer: A network of electronic gates and memories that processes data; an unimaginative but very logical problem solving machine; a magnificent slave and miserable ruler; a great tool and toy for any technologically oriented occultist. Cone of Power: Term for the focusing of a group's magical energies, visualized as a cone of psychic power based upon a ritual circle containing the participants (who are usually Neopagan or Feminist Witches). There is some confusion among various groups as to what exactly should be done with the energies at the moment of firing. Contagion, Law of: "Objects or beings in physical or psychic contact with each other continue to interact after spacial or temporal separation." CPK: See Cellular Psychokinesis. Craft, The: (1) Old term used by Freemasons to refer to their activities and beliefs. (2) Current term used by Neopagan, Feminist and some other modern Witches to refer to their activities and beliefs. Critique: A calm and unbiased evaluation of the structure and performance of a ritual, not usually done in American occult groups thanks to internal politics and delicate egos. Crystallomancy: Divination through the use of (usually) spheres of quartz crystal, glass or plastic as focussing devices. Cult: Any secretive religious, magical, philosophical or therapeutic group of which the user of this term does not approve. Curse: The use of magic to harm an object or being. Cybernetics: Comparative study of the autonomic control system formed by the brains and nervous systems of human and other animals, as well as electro-chemical-mechanical devices and communications systems. Dactylogy: Finger signaling system of language (such as Ameslan) used by deaf and mute persons; can also be used as powerful mudras in rituals. Dactylomancy: Divination by means of finger movements upon tripods, planchettes, pendulums, Oui-Ja Boards, etc., or through the use of finger rings. Daemon: A "supernatural" spirit or being in ancient Greek religion and philosophy, far below the Gods in power for good, evil or neutral purposes; probably the actual sort of "demon" conjured by Goetic magicians. Dagger: A ritual knife used for severing psychic bonds, exorcising, cursing and/or initiating. Damping: A psi or antipsi talent for lowering the power levels of psychic energy fields. Data: Information or concepts of any sort. Definition: The meaning of a word; the classification pattern that it fits into during the time period and for the given population involved. Deflection or Bouncing: An antipsi talent for altering the force vectors of incoming psi broadcasts, thus "bouncing" them away. Deity: (1) The most powerful sort of "supernatural" being. (2) A powerful pattern in the Switchboard. (3) The memory of a dead hero(ine) or magician. (4) An ancient visitor from outer space. (5) An ancient visitor from inner space. (6) All of the above? Demon: (1) A personification of what we consider to be evil or unpleasant (often repressed guilt feelings). (2) A nonphysical entity of a destructive and evil nature opposed to the will of the God(s), such as Maxwell's. Demonology: Medieval science of studying demons. Density Control: A PK talent for increasing or decreasing the density of an object or being. Devil: A minor spirit perceived as a force for evil. Devil, The: "Heir of Man," originally the Evil God of the Zoroastrians; later a creation of Christian and Islamic theologians (who called him Satan and Shaitan) consisting of old fertility gods, wisdom spirits and nature elementals combined with Ahriman into a figure of terror and malevolence fully equal to that of that Good God (Jehovah or Allah); the deity worshiped by Neogothic Witches. Dharanis: One phrase creeds or statements of belief, often used as mantras, such as "E = mc2." Dhyana: Tantric trance, possibly a form of hypnosis. Difficult Passage: A common mythological motif involving a hard transition or journey from one state or location to another through impossibly dangerous or paradoxical territory. Discipline: Training or experience that corrects, molds, strengthens, or perfects (especially) the mental faculties or moral character; noted primarily by its absence in American occult groups. Disk of Shadows: A grimoire or other magical text (especially one of witchcraft rituals) kept on a computer memory disk. Divination: The art and science of finding out hidden information about the past, present or future through the use of psychic talents. Diviner: Obviously, one who does divination. Dowsing: See Rhabdomancy. Druids, Ancient: From the root "dru-," meaning "oak tree, firm, strong;" the entire intelligentsia of the Celtic peoples, including doctors, judges, historians, musicians, poets, priests and magicians; 99.9% of what has been written about them is pure hogwash. Druids, Masonic: Members of several Masonic and Rosicrucian fraternal orders founded in the 1700's (and since) in England, France and elsewhere; some claim to go back to the original Druids. Druids, Reformed: Members of several branches of a movement founded in 1963 c.e. at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota; most are now Neopagans, though the original founders were not. Dualism: A religious doctrine that states that all the spiritual forces of the universe(s) are split into Good Guys and Bad Guys (white and black, male and female, etc.) who are eternally at war. Dualistic Polytheism: A style of religion in which the Good Guys and Bad Guys include several major and minor deities (though they may not always be called that by the official theologians); what most so- called "monotheisms" really are. Duotheism: A style of religion in which there are two deities accepted by the theoilogians, usually of opposite gender; all other deities worshiped are considered to be "faces" or aspects of the two main figures. Dynamic Balance, Law of: "In order to survive, let alone to become a powerful magician, one must keep every aspect of one's universe(s) in a state of dynamic balance with every other one." Earth: One of the main "elements" in occultism; associated in the West with matter, brown, black, pentacles, passivity, inertness, silence, food fertility, wealth, practicality, cold, dryness, etc. Earth-Mother: Female personification of the Life force, fertility of the Earth and its inhabitants. One of the most widespread deity concepts in the world (though far from universal); She is now worshiped in the West as Mother Nature. Electric Control: An APK talent involving the control of electricity and other electron phenomena. See Picachu. Electrochemical: Having to do with the interchanges between electrical and chemical energy, especially (in this text) those taking place in the body. Electroencephalograph or EEG: A machine that records electromagnetic activity in the brain (the so-called "brain waves"), usually upon a moving roll of paper. Electromagnetic Spectrum: The entire range of frequencies or wave-lengths of electromagnetic radiation from the longest radio waves to the shortest gamma rays. Visible light is only a tiny part of this range. Elementals: Personifications of the four or five "elements" of Western or Eastern occultism; in the West these are "Gnomes" for Earth, "Undines" for Water, "Sylphs" for Air, "Salamanders" for Fire, and "Sprites" for Spirit. Elementals, Artificial: Term used by some Western occultists to refer to spiritual entities "created" by magicians, usually to perform specific tasks. Elementals, Nature: Term used by some to refer to various minor spirits inhabiting or associated with various natural phenomena such as trees, streams, rocks, dust storms, etc. Elements, The: A classification system based upon the division of all phenomena into four or five categories; in Western occultism there are Earth, Water, Air, Fire and sometimes Spirit or Ether (or in India, Akasha); in Chinese occultism these are Earth, Water, Metal, Fire and Wood. Empath: One who can use the psi talent of empathy. Empath, Controlled: Someone who uses psychometry and/or empathy and/or absorption, occasionally to the point of draining others of their psychic energy. Empath, Total: One who has trouble controlling their empathic and/or other passive psychic talents, and subsequently gets "overloaded" with data and power. Empathy: As I now use it, a type of telepathic reception limited to the perception of emotions; obviously this talent would tie in nicely with absorption. Energy Control: In Tantra, the control of biocurrents and their movements through the body; otherwise the control of energy in general. Energy Field: A continuously distributed something in space that accounts for actions at a distance; an area where energy does something. Don't blame me for the vagueness of this definition; it's a standard one used in modern physics. Entity: A being, spirit, living creature or personification. ESP: See Extrasensory Perception. Ether: A hypothetical "substance" filling all space and conveying waves of energy. See Space-Time Continuum. Ethics: (1) That part of philosophy and theoilogy dealing with matters of "right and wrong," "good and evil," etc. (2) A set or system of moral values. (3) Principles of conduct governing an individual or profession. Ethnography: Part of social and cultural anthropology emphasizing descriptions of individual cultures rather than cross-cultural comparisons; when engaged in by the untrained, often degenerates into scrapbooking. Evocation, Law of: "It is possible to establish external communication with entities from either inside or outside of oneself, said entities seeming to be outside of oneself during the communication process." Exorcism: The severing or disruption of all unwanted psychic circuits and circuit potentials within a specific object, person or place; hence the dismissal of ghosts and spirits. Exorcist: (1) One who performs exorcisms. (2) A magician or psychic (often very religious) with strong talents for CPK, antipsi and the clair senses, who specializes in forcing or persuading unwanted psychic energies (including spirits) to depart from objects, persons or places. Experiment: A test of an idea or guess. Experimental Design: The way the test is put together, hopefully for maximum output of useful data. Exponential Decay Function: A "decaying" or "falling apart" function in which an independent variable appears as one of the mathematical exponents. Extrasensory Perception or ESP: The categorical term for several psi talents involving the reception of (usually) external data through other than the commonly recognized sensory means. Faith Healing: CPK and/or other psi talents interpreted as religious phenomena in curing. False: That which is improbable, unpleasant or inconvenient to believe. Familiars: Animals supposedly used by Gothic Witches and others to help them with their magic; often believed to be incarnated spirits or the messengers of noncarnate ones. Fam-Trad: Short term for "Familial Tradition." See Witchcraft, Familial and Tradition. Feedback: Data returned as a reply or result, containing corrections and additions. Filtering: An antipsi ability to use apopsi, reddopsi or deflection selectively, thus stopping part of a psi broadcast or field while letting the desired remainder (usually part of the information content) through. Finite Senses, Law of: "Every sense mechanism of every entity is limited by both range and type of data perceived, and many real phenomena exist which may be outside the sensory scanning ability of any given entity." The Supreme Being(s) may be excepted from this law. Fire: One of the main "elements" in occultism; associated in the West with flames, red, orange, wands or staves, activity, light, will, animals, energy, assertiveness, heat, dryness, etc. Firing: The discharge of psychic energy in a ritual, the timing of which is frequently critical. Folklore: The study of folktales and legends, a subject overlapping that of mythology. Folktale: Story handed down among a people, such as "Cinderella," "Rumpelstiltskin" or "Our Leader Knows Best." Geller Effect: One or more psi talents (probably including bonding control) that enable the user to bend metal objects without touching them, named after this century's best known user, Uri Geller. The effect is real and has been done by Geller and others under impeccable laboratory controls, regardless of the tales told by Geller's supporters and detractors. General Extrasensory Perception or GESP: A term used when two or more forms of ESP are operating at the same time. Germ Theory: (1) In Tantra, the theory that every entity has a germinal or root sound, the repetition of which can create that entity. (2) In the West, a folk belief that all diseases are caused by miniature demons called "germs" or "viruses." Ghost: Personification of data received as the result of a plug-in to an individual metapattern within the Switchboard, and/or the spirit of a dead person or animal, still existing in a nonphysical manner, and/or something(s) else entirely. Goal: The general result one actually wishes to accomplish with a particular magical or psychic act. Compare with Target. God or Goddess, A: See Deity. God or Goddess, The: The particular masculine or feminine deity worshiped by a particular mono-, heno-, or duotheist. "God or Goddess, Thou Art:" A statement of divine immanence common among Neopagans, originally from Robert Heinlein's book, Stranger in a Strange Land. Godling: A young or minor deity. Goetia: From words meaning "howling or crying," the medieval books of ceremonial magic, such as The Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon. Golem: An artificial person given life by the carving of a Sacred Name upon his or her forehead and usually used as a slave. Has deeper meanings in real Hebrew Mysticism, in which we are all golems in some sense. Graphology: (1) An officially nonpsychic method of personality assessment based upon the study of handwriting samples. (2) A method of divination based upon the use of such samples as contagion links. Gravity Control: A psychic talent for altering the gravitational fields in a particular location, such as in a room or around an object or being. Gray Magic: Magic that is neither "black" nor "white," hence morally neutral, at least according to those who use these quaint terms. Grimoires: So-called "Black Books" of (usually Goetic) magic, consisting of recipe collections, scrapbooks of magical customs, Who's Who's of the spirit worlds and phone directories for contacting various entities. Fairly useless unless you know enough Hebrew, Greek and Latin to correct all the mistakes. Group mind: A section of the Switchboard consisting of two or more metapatterns linked into an identity circuit. Term is used for those formed telepathically in rituals but can also be used to refer to mobs or other cases of crowd hysteria. Hallucination: (1) Perception of objects or beings with no reality or not present within normal sensory scanning range. (2) Experience of sensations with no exterior cause, usually as a result of nervous dysfunction. (3) Perceptions not in accord with consensus reality. Hallucination, Veridical: One in which the content is essentially factual. Hallucinogen: A chemical or biochemical substance capable of inducing hallucinations when introduced into the human metabolism. Hauntings: Recurrent plug-ins to the Switchboard and/or perceptions of ghostly entities associated with a particular location or being. Heathenism: The religion of those who live on the heath (where heather grows). See Paganism. Hedonism: A method for altering the state of one's consciousness through the experience of intense pleasures; when extreme, may become tiring. Henotheism: A polytheistic religion where one deity is the official Ruler and is supposed to be the prime focus of attention. Hepatoscopy: Divination through the use of animal innards (see Anthropomancy), especially livers. When done with French hens, usually indicates cowardice. Heat Control: The use of temperature control to start or stop fires and other heating phenomena, also called "psychopyresis." Hixson's Law: "All possible universes that can be constructed out of all possible interactions of all existing subatomic particles through all points in space-time, must exist." Horoscope: A two-dimensional chart of the way "important" parts of the sky look at a particular time and location, especially at birth, used in astrology. Hyperapotheosis: The promotion of one's tribal deity to the rank of Supreme Being, as in Judaism, Christianity or Islam. Hypercognition: A categorical term for those psi talents consisting of superfast thinking, usually at a subconscious level, often using data received via ESP, which then reveals all or part of the "gestalt" (whole pattern) of a situation; this is then presented to the conscious mind as a sudden awareness of knowledge (or "a hunch"), without a pseudo-sensory experience. See Retrocognition and Precognition. Hyperesthesia: Excessive or pathological sensitivity of the skin or other senses; heightened perception or responsiveness to the environment; often mistaken for real ESP. Hypnosis: (1) As used in this book, an altered state of consciousness within which the following can occur at will: increase in bodily and sensory control, in suggestibility, in ability to concentrate and eliminate distractions, and probably in psychic abilities as well. (2) A useful word and tool for those who cannot conceive of nor practice real mesmerism. Hypothesis: Scientific term for wild guess, hunch, tentative explanation or possibility to be tested. Iatromancy: The divination of medical problems and solutions. I Ching: Chinese "Book of Changes;" key to sortilege system. Identification, Law of: "It is possible through maximum association of the elements of one's own metapattern and those of another being's to actually become that being, at least to the point of sharing its knowledge and wielding its power." Imaging or To Image: Term for strong visualization of a concept being used for focusing. Imbolg or Imelc: Celtic fire festival beginning the second quarter of the year (or spring); starts at sunset on February 3rd and is also known as Candlemas, St. Bridget's Day, Bride's Day, Lady Day, etc. Celebrated by most Neopagans as a major religious holiday. Impossible: Unlikely, difficult, implausible, uncomfortable, new. Incantation: Words used in a ritual or spell, should always be chanted or sung. Infinite Data, Law of: "The number of phenomena to be known is infinite and one will never run out of things to learn." Infinite Universes, Law of: "The total number of universes into which all possible combinations of existing phenomena could be organized is infinite." See Hixson's Law and Personal Universes, Law of. Information Theory: Study of communication. Information Transfer: Communication. Initiation: An intense personal experience, often of a death and rebirth sort, resulting in a higher state of personal development and/or admission to a magical or religious organization. Input: The way incoming data is interpreted or classified. Instrumental Act: One which is useful, even if for no other purpose than to relieve stress. Interdisciplinary Approach: The use of data and techniques from more than one art or science in order to analyze phenomena. Invocation, Law of: "It is possible to establish internal communications with entities from either inside or outside of oneself, said entities seeming to be inside of oneself during the communication process." Jargon: Any technical terminology or characteristic idiom of specialists or workers in a particular activity or area of knowledge; often pretentious or unnecessarily obscure. Kabbalah: (1) A Hebrew word for "collected teachings," referring to several different lists of books and manuscripts on various occult and mundane topics. Sloppy translations of a handful of texts in the Kabbalah of Mysticism, with Christian names and concepts forcibly inserted, are responsible for much of what is now called "Cabala" by western metaphysicians. If you can't think fluently in Hebrew, you have no business trying to do Kabbalistic magic. (2) A general term for collections of magical and mystical texts from various cultures, thus "Greek Kabbalah," "Arabic Cabala," etc. Kachina: A (usually benevolent) supernatural being in Hopi religion; may be a personification of an aspect of nature, an ancestor, or something revealed in a dream. Kama-kali: Ritual sexual intercourse in Tantra. Karma: In many eastern religions, the load of guilt or innocence carried from one incarnation to the next, determining one's lot in the next life; often used by American occultists as a general term for moral responsibility, as in "You can do that if you want to, but it's your karma." Karma Dumping Run: American occult slang for a ritual process of visiting someone's "just deserts" upon them, by "concentrating the karma" they may have earned in their life (or recent past) and delivering it back to them in one brief period of time; usually done when someone is suspected of evil doing but proof is lacking, since it is considered a morally neutral way of stopping them. Kinesis: Physical movement including quantitative, qualitative, and positional change; sometimes movement caused by stimulation but not directional or aimed. Kinetic Energy: Energy associated with motion. Kirlian Photography: A lenseless electrical photographic technique invented by Russian parapsychologists S. D. and V. Kirlian in 1939 and which can be used to record energy fields around living or once living objects and beings. Although the "Kirlian auras" vary with emotional excitement and intent, there is as yet no proof that they are the same as the "psychic auras" traditionally seen by clairvoyants. Time will tell. Klutzokinesis: Term invented by Arlynde d'Loughlan to describe the use of CPK to make people more clumsy (or agile) through interference with neuron or muscle activities. Knowledge, Law of: "Understanding brings control; the more that is known about a phenomenon, the easier it is to exercise control over it." Koran: The sacred book of Islam. Ksana: The "favorable moment;" a temporal Centre. Law: A statement of the ways phenomena seem to work. Law of Magic: A statement of the ways magical phenomena seem to work. Laws, Law of: "The more evidence one looks for to support a given law, the more one finds." Law, Sturgeon's: From science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon: "90% of everything is crud." Left-Hand Path: (1) The people we don't like who are doing magic. (2) Occultists who spend their time being destructive, manipulative and "evil" -- or at least annoying. Levitation: A psi talent involving the combination of PK proper with Gravity Control and/or Mass Control in order to produce floating effects. Light Control: An APK talent for the control of photons. Linguistics: The study of human speech, including the units, nature, structure and development of language(s). Litany: Long prayer or incantation with constantly repeating refrain. Lodges: Groups of magical and mystical workers similar to (1) the old European guild systems, with apprentices, journeypeople and masters, or (2) church organizations with rank based upon goodness or evilness. In America at least, these are usually tiny, incompetent and riddled with internal and external warfare and politics. Lughnasadh: Celtic fire festival beginning the third quarter of the year (or fall); starts at sunset on August 6th or 7th and is also known as Lammas, Apple Day, etc. Celebrated by most Neopagans as a major religious holiday. Mage: A general term for anyone doing magic, especially of the active kinds; often used as synonym for "magus." Magi: Zoroastrian priests. Later used for powerful magicians of any sort. Magic: (1) A general term for arts, sciences, philosophies and technologies concerned with (a) understanding and using various altered states of consciousness within which it is possible to have access to and control over one's psychic talents, and (b) the uses and abuses of those psychic talents to change interior and/or exterior realities. (2) A science and an art comprising a system of concepts and methods for the build-up of human emotions, altering the electrochemical balance of the metabolism, using associational techniques and devices to concentrate and focus this emotional energy, thus modulating the energies broadcast by the human body, usually to affect other energy patterns whether animate or inanimate, but occasionally to affect the personal energy pattern. (3) A collection of rule-of-thumb techniques designed to get one's psychic talents to do more or less what one wants, more often than not, one hopes. It should be obvious that these are thaumaturgical definitions. Magic Circle: A mandala-mudra-mantra combination used around an area where all or part of a ritual is to take place, so that an individual or group can more easily control the energies generated. Magician: (1) As a general term, anyone who does any sort of magic at all. (2) More specifically, someone who uses mostly active talents and rites for mostly thaumaturgical purposes. Magician, Goetic: A magician and psychic who frequently "summons up" various nonhuman entities (good, bad or ugly) in order to gain both occult and mundane knowledge, which is then used for thaumaturgical, theurgical and nonmagical purposes. Magister: Master, teacher or magician. Magnetic Control: An APK talent involving the control of magnetic, diamagnetic and paramagnetic lines of force and other magnetic phenomena. Magos: Greek word for "magi." Magus: Originally, the singular form of "magi." Later, a powerful magician. Mana: Polynesian word for psychic energy. Mandala: Sights (especially drawings, paintings and carvings) used primarily as associational and/or trance inducing devices. Mantic Arts: The various methods of divination. Mantis: A diviner or seer. Mantra: Sounds used primarily as associational and/or trance inducing devices. Mass: The property of a body that is a measure of its inertia, that causes it to have weight (in a gravitational field), and that is a measure of the amount of material it contains. Mass Control: An APK talent for increasing or decreasing the mass of an object or being. Maya: (1) Sanscrit for "illusion." (2) A tribe of Central American Indians. Mayin: One who controls the worlds of illusion, a magician or mystic. Mechanistic: A word used (usually as an insult) to refer to those who prefer to analyze even supposedly nonphysical phenomena in terms of physical or mechanical patterns of behavior. Medicine Person: A tribal official who combines the modes of magician, psychic and cleric, using her or his talents for personal and tribal benefit; especially in such matters as healing, hunting, fertility, weather and war magic.   Medium: A psychic (and frequently cleric as well) who specializes in being possessed by or otherwise communicating with, various spirits especially those of dead humans; someone who knows how to plug-in to the metapatterns of the recently dead, or can arrange such plug-ins for others. See Necromancer. Mental Projection: An OOBE or psi talent that may involve traveling GESP without the image of an "astral body" being brought along. Mesmerism: From Franz Mesmer, a form of telepathic sending in which the data sent consists of suggestions backed by the insistent power of the sender. Mesopaganism: A general term for a variety of movements both organized and nonorganized, which have attempted to revive or recreate various forms of Paleopaganism, but which suffer(ed) from being locked into a Judeo-Christian worldview. Examples would include many Renaissance artists and philosophers, the Masonic Druids, Aleister Crowley's Thelemic religion, Gleb Botkin's "Long Island Church of Aphrodite," etc. See Neopaganism and Paleopaganism. Metabolism: The sum or gestalt of the processes going on inside your body. Metamorphosis: Change, especially of the outward appearance. See Werewolf, or your local politicians. Metapattern: As used in this text, the sum and gestalt of all the interlocking patterns that make up an individual, including the body (or bodies), the various levels of mind or awareness, the psychic and artistic abilities, memory and intellectual capacities, and perhaps whatever it is that is usually called "the soul." Metaphysics: Philosophy of the relations between "underlying reality" and its manifestations. Miracle: A paranormal act or occurrence done by or for someone who belongs to a religion that you approve of, usually credited to divine intervention. Miracle, Counterfeit: A paranormal act or occurrence done by or for someone who belongs to a religion that you do not approve of; usually credited to demonic intervention. Monotheism: A style of religion in which the theologians (or thealogians) claim that there is only one deity (theirs of course) and that all other spirits claiming (or claimed) to be deities are "actually" demons in disguise. If other deities have cults that can be made to support the One Deity, they are kept on as "angles" or "saints." See Hyperapotheosis. Moon Sign: In astrology, the zodiacal sign that the moon appeared to be in at the time and location for which the chart is cast. Motif: A common pattern running through stories, folktales or myths. Motion: The act or process of a body passing from one place or position to another. Completely relative. Mudra: Physical gestures, positions or postures (including dance movements) used primarily as associational and/or trance inducing devices. Mundane: Worldly, ordinary, common, simple; pertaining to "the earth plane." Mysteries: Secret rituals usually involving the display of sacred mandalas and other objects to, and the performance of various mudras with and in front of, and the chanting of mantras and dharanis in the hearing of, properly initiated worshipers, for theurgical purposes in this life and the next. Mystery Cult: A group of people who get together regularly to perform sacred mysteries and to study their meanings. Mystery School: In theory, a group of magicians and/or mystics who have gathered together to share their wisdom and secrets with each other and with new seekers. In practice, usually a group of would-be "enlightened masters" who are primarily interested in impressing each other and in fleecing the gullible. After all, "there's a seeker born every minute!" Mystic: (1) One who practices mysticism. (2) A person who uses mostly passive talents and rites for mostly theurgical purposes. Mysticism: (1) The doctrine or belief that direct knowledge of the God(s), o spiritual truth, of ultimate reality, or of comparable matters is attainable through immediate intuition, insight or illumination and in a way differing from ordinary sense perception or conscious thought. (2) The concepts and theories behind the theurgical approach to occultism. Myth: (1) Technically, a traditional story with its emphasis upon the actions of deities; (2) commonly, a false or simplistic belief. Mythology: The study of myths, and thus a field overlapping folklore; sometimes used to refer to a specific body of myths pertaining to a given culture or motif. The study of someone else's religious stories. Mythos: A system of myths within a society or culture. Names, Law of: "Knowing the complete and true name of an object, being or process gives one complete control over it." Necromancer: (1) A magician and psychic who specializes in "summoning" the spirits of dead persons, usually without possession, in order to gain both occult and mundane knowledge, which is then used for thaumaturgical, theurgical and nonmagical purposes. (2) Generally, anyone who does any form of divination involving the dead. See Medium. Negapsi or Reversing: An antipsi ability to reverse all or part of the information content of a psi broadcast or field. Neopaganism: A general term for a variety of "Aquarian Age" movements both organized and (usually) nonorganized, which have attempted to revive or recreate various forms of Paleopaganism in terms of modern humanistic ideas of personal growth needs. As "Neo-Paganism," term was popularized in the late 60's and early 70's by Tim Zell, who has a different and much longer definition. Examples would include the Wiccan Witches, the Church of All Words, Feriferia, the New Reformed Druids, the Church of the Eternal Source, etc. See Mesopaganism and Paleopaganism. Neotarot Cards: A collection of divination cards designed to be used in the same general ways as regular Tarot Cards, but which have different (non-Tarot) archetypal images as their main contents. Examples would include "Morgan's Tarot," "The Illuminated Tarot," etc. Nervous System: The bodily system made up of nerves, senses, and brain, including all connectors such as the spinal cord. Numerology: Divination by means of numbers and numerical "values" of letters. Objective: "Reality" as it supposedly is "in itself," instead of as it may be perceived. Observation: A part of the scientific method that involves a careful cataloging of perceptions involving any particular phenomenon. Obsession: Being besieged or impelled by an outside force (often perceived as demonic) to entertain thoughts or perform actions of an unpleasant, malign, pathological or unprofitable nature; thus causing anxiety and fear to be experienced by the person involved and/or observers. See Possession. Occam's Razor: A philosophical axiom credited to William of Occam: "Entities should not be multiplied without reason." Or as I put it, "Don't complicate theories unnecessarily, but beware of being simplistic." Occult: That which is hidden or known only to a few.   Occultism: The study and or practice of that which is occult, especially (in this century) in reference to the powers of the mind. Onieromancy: Divination by means of dream interpretations. OOBE: See Out of the Body Experience. Oui-Ja Board: A flat board with letters, numbers and/or words upon it, used with a planchette or pendulum for divination. Out of the Body Experience: A perception of one's consciousness as being outside of one's physical body and usually as movable. See Astral Projection and Mental Projection. Pagan: From the Latin paganus, meaning "civilian" or "country dweller;" used in ancient Rome to refer to those who were not part of the army, or who were "hicks" and "bumpkins;" later used by the Christians to refer to those who were not part of the "armies of the Lord." Now used as a general term of polytheistic religions and their members, it should always be capitalized just as other religious noun/adjective combinations are, such as "Buddhist," "Hindu," "Christian," etc. Paleopaganism: A general term for all of the ancient and current polytheistic religions, practiced by intact (usually tribal) cultures. Most often refers to beliefs and practices of the ancient Romans, Greeks, Slavs, Celts, Babylonians, Egyptians, etc., but can also be used for the original inhabitants and their current tribal descendants in Africa, Australia, Oceania, Asia, and the Americas. Palmistry: Divination by means of the folds and other features of the hands. Pantheon: The organization of deities and lesser spirits in any given religion. Para-anthropology: The study of paranormal phenomena in tribal, traditional and/or nonliterate cultures. Paranoia: Slang term taken from psychology, used to refer to general terror or anxiety, usually with associated feelings of persecution. Paranormal: Unusual or "supernatural." Paraphysics: (1) The physics of paranormal phenomena. (2) The study of PK. Parapsychology: (1) The general and interdisciplinary study of paranormal phenomena. (2) The study of that which is "beyond" the field of "normal" psychology. (3) The scientific branch of occultism. Passive Ritual: One in which those persons raising and focusing the psychic energies are the main targets intended to be changed. Passive Talent: A psychic talent that involves the reception of energy or data by the agent from the target. Path: A method, system or approach to magical or mystical knowledge. Path, The: The One-True-Right-And-Only-Way followed by the user of the term. Pendulum: Any small object on a string or chain, the movements of which can be used for divination. See Rhabdomancy. Pentalpha: A five pointed star made by interweaving five letter A's. Pentacle: Originally a talisman of a five pointed star, now used as a general term for talismans in general. When made of clay, glass, metal or wood, often used in western occultism as a symbol of the "element" of Earth. Pentagram: Another word for a five pointed star, used as a symbol for the occult in general and Neopagan and Feminist Witchcraft in particular. Perception: The process of classifying sensations. Personal Universes, Law of: "Every sentient being lives in and quite possibly creates a unique universe which can never be 100% identical to that lived in by another." See Hixson's Law and Infinite Universes, Law of. Personification, Law of: "Any phenomenon may be considered to be alive and to have a personality, and may be effectively dealt with as such."   Perversity, Law of: "If anything can go wrong, it will -- and in the most annoying manner possible." Also known as "Murphy's Law." Perversion: (1) A variation in a process that effectively negates or contradicts what the user of this term considers to be the original purpose of the process. (2) Using the entire chicken. Phrenology: Divination by means of the features of the head (exterior). Physiology: The study of the living body. PK: See Psychokinesis. Placebo Effect: (1) Term used to refer to the process by which the belief of a target may cause results (physical or psychic) to occur with no known effort being made by the supposed agent. (2) The most powerful, cheapest, and therefore least researched method of healing. Placebo Spell: Obviously, a spell that works by the placebo effect. Planchette: A triangular object with short legs used as a divination tool, usually by moving it over a Oui-Ja Board. Plant-Psi or Plantpsi: A little-used term for psychic phenomena involving the interaction of plants with humans, each other and the environment. Plug-in: To "close a circuit" or otherwise make a connection with a part of the Switchboard or a smaller group mind. Poet: (1) One who fashions words artistically. (2) One who can control the power of words and is thus a magician. (3) To the ancient Greeks, one who is a specialist in retrocognition. Polarity, Law of: "Any pattern of data can be split into (at least) two patterns with 'opposing' characteristics, and each will contain the essence of the other within itself." Poltergeist: From the German, meaning "noisy spirit;" an old term for RSPK, resulting from a personification of the phenomena. Polytheism: A style of religion in which the polytheologians claim that there are many deities, of varying power, and many lesser spirits as well, all of whom are considered to be "real" and to be worthy of respect and/or worship. Polytheology: Intellectual speculations concerning the natures of the Gods and Goddesses and Their relations to the world in general and humans in particular; etc., etc., etc.: see Thealogy, Theology. I'm now using this term instead of Theoilogy. Possession: The process or experience of having another being (divine, demonic or other) inside of one's own body, usually as the result of a conscious or unconscious invocation. See Obsession. Pragmatism, Law of: "If a pattern of belief or behavior enables a being to survive and to accomplish chosen goals, then that belief or behavior is 'true,' 'realistic,' and/or 'sensible'." Precognition: Hypercognition done about future phenomena. Priest or Priestess: A cleric who is an official representative of a given religion, sect or cult, and who is responsible for leading other people in rituals. Prophet: (1) A person (usually a cleric) who "speaks out for" a deity or other powerful spirit, usually about future events. (2) A diviner of the future. Prop: Tools, physical emblems and other objects used primarily as associational and/or trance inducing devices. Psi: Short for "psychic." Psi Corps: Organizations set up by governments in order to use psychic talents for the benefit of the governments involved, especially in matters of espionage, sabotage and assassination. Psionics: A scientistic way to get around using the dirty word "magic;" probably coined by John Campbell, the word is usually used to refer to technologically oriented parapsychology. Pseudo: Fake, deceptive, erroneous or otherwise "unreal." Psychic: As used in this text, a word referring to rare or seldom-used powers of the (usually) human mind, which are capable of causing effects that appear to contradict the mainstream worldview of western science and philosophy. Psychic, A: Anyone who uses mostly passive talents and rites for mostly thaumaturgical purposes.   Psychoenergetics: A fashionable term for parapsychology in Russia. Psychokinesis or PK: A categorical term for those psi talents that involve the movement of matter and energy through space-time. Psychokinesis Proper: A specific term for the psychically induced movement of objects (including the physical bodies of beings) through normal space-time. Psychology: Divination by means of the features of the head (interior). Psycholuminescence: See Light Control. Psychometry: (1) The science of statistical measurements in the field of psychology. (2) An undefeatable term for a psychic talent involving the reception of data "from" objects or surroundings about events and/or persons connected to those objects or surroundings; quite possibly the ability to use objects or places as contagion links for telepathic reception, the clair senses, and/or retrocognition. Psychopyresis: See Heat Control. Psychotronics: Another new way to avoid saying "magic;" the popular term in Eastern Europe. Radiation Control: An APK talent for speeding up and slowing down the decay rates of radioactive materials. Radio Waves: Waves on the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared radiation (less than 1 cm from crest to crest) and those called "Very Low Frequency" (over 10,000 km); only a tiny portion of this wavespread is used for common radio and television broadcasting. Reality: (1) The result of consensus opinion. (2) That which is most comfortable and convenient to believe. (3) My universe. Reality, Levels of: The concept (resulting from the Law of True Falsehoods) that a given idea may be "true" in some situations and "false" in others, depending upon the aspects, sections, areas or other subsets of the personal or consensus universes involved; such subsets may be considered "levels" of reality. Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis or RSPK: Term coined by William Roll. Refers to the unconscious use of PK and APK talents (usually by adolescents) as a release for frustration and means of obtaining attention. Reddopsi or Returning: An antipsi talent for reversing the force vectors of incoming psi broadcasts, thus returning them to their senders. Probably a variation of deflection. Reincarnation: A belief concerning the supposed process by which souls reinhabit body after body, life after life. The mathematics are implausible and most of the evidence has other possible explanations. Religion: (1) The body of institutionalized expressions of sacred beliefs, observances and practices found within a given cultural context. (2) A magical system combined with a philosophical and ethical system, usually oriented towards "supernatural" beings. (3) A psychic structure composed of the shared beliefs, experiences and related habits of all members (not just the theologians) of any group calling itself "a religion." Remote Viewing: The currently fashionable term being used by parapsychologists in the U.S.A. to refer to clairvoyance, presumably because it sounds "more scientific." So far, no one has said anything about "remote hearing," "remote smelling," etc. Repeatability: The ability of a phenomenon to be repeated at will, especially as the result of a scientific experiment; one of the major dogmas of scientism is that an unrepeatable experiment is not a valid one. Retrocognition: Hypercognition done about past phenomena. Rhabdomancy: Divination by means of wands, sticks, rods and pendulums, usually when searching for water, minerals or other valuable items. Sometimes called "dowsing" or "water witching." Right Hand Path: (1) The people we like who are doing magic. (2) Occultists who spend their time being constructive, manipulative and "good." Rising Sign: In Astrology, the zodiacal sign that was coming over the eastern horizon at the time and location for which the chart is cast. Ritual: Any ordered sequence of events, actions and/or directed thoughts, especially one that is repeated in the "same" manner each time, that is designed to produce a predictable altered state of consciousness within which certain magical or religious (or artistic or scientific?) results may be obtained. Ritual Cannibalism: The eating of all or part of the physical or symbolic body of a given person or personified entity in hopes of gaining one or more of their desirable attributes. Ritualism: Devotion to the use of rituals and ceremonies above and beyond the call of sanity; often, an uncritical acceptance of rituals constructed in the past. Role Playing: (1) A flavor of "modern" psychology, discovered by Aeschylus and Shakespeare, saying that we all wear masks and play various roles as conditions seem to require, even when alone. (2) A type of game in which the participants cooperate in the creation of a living fantasy novel. Runes: Letters in the old Celtic, Teutonic and Scandinavian alphabets; the word is based on roots meaning "secret" or "occult." If you try to practice any form of magic within these cultural contexts, especially for deceptive purposes, then your career will lie in runes. Samhain: Celtic fire festival beginning the winter half of the year and being the Day Between Years; starts at sunset on November 7th and is also known as La Samhna, Nos Galen-gaeof, All Hallow's Eve and Halloween. Celebrated by most Neopagans as a major religious holiday. Satan: See Devil, The. Satya-vacana: In Tantra, the solemn uttering of a Great Truth, used as a mantra for magical or religious effects such as exorcisms. Schemhampheres: One of several spellings of a word from Christian Cabala, meaning "the expository" or "the 72 Names of God and His Angels;" originally the title of a collection of magical names, now used as a magical word itself. Science: Accumulated and accepted knowledge that has been systematized and formulated with reference to the discovery of general truths or the operation of general laws; knowledge classified and made available in work, life or the search for truth; comprehensive, profound or philosophical knowledge, especially knowledge obtained and tested through the use of the scientific method. Scientific Method: The principles and procedures used in the systematic pursuit of intersubjectively (consensus reality) accessible knowledge and involving as necessary conditions the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and if possible experiment, the formulation of hypotheses, and the testing and confirmation of the hypotheses formulated. Seer: One who can see the hidden, a diviner. Self-Knowledge, Law of: "The most important kind of knowledge is about oneself; a magician must be familiar with her or his own strengths and weaknesses." Sensation: The noticing of a change in the internal or external environment; the activity of a sense before classification. Sense: A mechanism that notices or causes sensation. Shaman: A medicine person and medium who frequently uses astral and/or mental projection to fly into "the spirit world," in order to represent his or her tribe to the spirits there and who is often possessed by them as well. Shield: An area around a being or object within which one or more forms of (usually) antipsi energies are operating in order to defend the being or object from unwanted psychic intrusions; the process of setting up and maintaining such an antipsi field. Sign: A pattern of sensory stimuli which is intended to communicate data. Signs of the Zodiac: In astrology, twelve approximately equal segments of the Ecliptic (the belt of sky through which the planets appear to move "around the Earth"); in many systems of astrology, these no longer occupy the same space as the constellations for which they were originally named. Silver Cord: Supposed umbilical cord connecting an astral projector to her or his body. Silver Dagger: A traditional weapon for destroying various monsters. Similarity, Law of: "Effects are liable to have one or more outward physical or inward mental appearances similar to one or more of said appearances of their causes." Sorcerer or Sorceress: Indiscriminate terms for those who use (or are suspected of using) magic, especially when acting as independent agents and/or using their magic for "evil" purposes. Sortilege: Divination by means of sticks, coins, bones, dice, lots, beans, yarrow stalks, stones or any other small objects. Space: A three-dimensional something that extends without bounds in all directions (this week) and is the field of physical objects and events and their order and relationships. Space-Time or Space-Time Continuum: The four-dimensional system consisting of three coordinate axes for spacial location and one axis for temporal location, upon which any physical event may be determined by citing its four coordinates; also, the four dimensional space formed by these four axes. Spell: (1) A magical act designed with an emphasis upon the use of mantras and the literal spelling of words. (2) Any magical ritual. 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. Splodging or Yelling: An antipsi talent for the generation of specific psi broadcasts (usually of emotions) so strong that all other psi signals in range are drowned out or disrupted, with the information content of those signals collapsing first; may be a form of reversed empathy or of single-content telepathic sending. Sprites: Disembodied spirits, elves, fairies or daemons; often the term used for the Air elemental known as "sylphs," or as the name of the elementals of Spirit. Statistics, Three Magical Laws of: "Once is dumb luck, twice is coincidence and three times is Somebody Trying to Tell You Something." Stimuli: Those things that arouse sensations; energy fluctuations. Subject: In science, someone or something being observed and/or experimented upon. Subjective: "Reality" as it is perceived, instead of as it may be "in itself." Sun Sign: In astrology, the zodiacal sign that the sun appeared to be in at the time and location for which the chart is cast. In isolation, the sun sign reveals very little data. Supernatural: Rare, unusual, beyond the common, extraordinary, unexplainable at the time, paranormal; usually input as "religious" phenomena. Superstitions: (1) Fixed irrational notions held stubbornly in the face of evidence to the contrary; beliefs, practices, concepts or acts resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, morbid scrupulosity, erroneous concepts of causality, etc., as in the words and actions of many critics of parapsychology and the occult. (2) "A belief not founded in any coherent worldview" (J. B. Russell). (3) Someone else's religious or philosophical beliefs. Supplication: The normal form of prayer, that is to say, begging; occasionally, asking an entity to give you her or his attention for a moment. Survival Phenomena: Paranormal phenomena that appear to bear relevance to the questions of survival after physical death; at one time the main area of study in parapsychology when it was still being called "psychic research." Suspension of Disbelief: Temporary curtailment of critical faculties for a specific time and specific purpose, it is absolutely necessary during the performance of a ritual. Before and after the ritual, however, the participants can and should criticize all that they can. Sutra: Book or traditional collection of sayings. Switchboard, The: A theory of the author's concerning a postulated network of interlocking metapatterns of everyone who has ever lived or who is living now, expressed as constantly changing and infinitely subtle modifications of current telepathic transmissions and receptions. Many phenomena interpreted as "spirits" may actually be "circuits" within this Switchboard, as may be many other "archetypes" of the "collective unconscious." See Akasic Records, Archetype, Circuit, and Unconscious, Collective. Sword: An archaic weapon used in western occultism as a symbol of the "element" of Air, as well as for fighting psychic battles, concentrating and directing energies, and for severing psychic links or bonds. Symbol: A sign plus an associated concept. Synchronicity, Law of: "Two or more events happening at the 'same' time are likely to have more associations in common than the merely temporal." Synthesis, Law of: "The synthesis of two or more 'opposing' patterns of data will produce a new pattern that will be 'truer' than either of the first ones were." Table Tipping: The use of tables for dactylomancy. Talent: As used in this text, an ability to use psychic energies in one or more forms, including ESP, Hypercognition, PK and the Antipsi powers. Talents may be active, passive or both. Talisman: A psychically charged mandala carried about (or placed in a special spot), expected to work via contagion. Talmud, Babylonian and Palestinian: Records of the processes by which Hebrew scholars debated and developed their laws and rulings. Tantra: Indian systems of theurgical concepts and magical training methods, easily adaptable for thaumaturgic purposes. Tantrism: The religious window dressing added to Tantra. Tapping: The absorption of psychic energy from the ether or from groups or individuals who are willing (such as congregations of worshipers or various deities). See Absorption and Vampire, Psychic. Target: The person, object or process one wishes to effect in order to accomplish one's goal. Tarot Cards: Ancestors of modern playing cards, originally designed for divination use and now used for meditational and magical focusing as well. Technology: The stud