The Supernatural Glossary: A to Z

RUNES

A general term applied to a form of stick-like writing with Anglo-Saxon, Germanic and Scandinavian origins. Magical qualities are supposedly ascribed to them.

Supernatural S:

SALAMANDER

An elemental spirit of fire; or a lizard believed to be able to live in fire.

SATAN

The Devil, in Christian belief the opposite to Christ in every way. Also known as the ruler of Hell. Other names include: Lucifer('Light-Bearer'), Asmodeus('Creature of Judgement'), The Adversary, Behemoth('Beast'), Diabolos, Belial and Beelzebub('Lord of the Flies').

SCRYING

The process of gazing into a crystal, mirror, bowl of water, shiny metal object or any device used to see visions of the past, present or future. An aid in clairvoyence.

SHADOW PEOPLE PHENOMENON, THE

A fairly recent advent to the paranormal field. People report seeing shadowy figures, "out of the corner of their eyes". Usually benign, shadow people are theorized to be numerous things. Some say they are not spirits but rather a sort of parallel dimension, while others insist they are a form of demonic energy. One external cause for some reports could be that of Hypnagogia(Hypnogogia, a medical condition in which a person can go through experiences while in the hypnagogic (or hypnogogic) state, the period of falling asleep. Hypnopompia are the experiences a person may go through in the hypnopompic state, the period of waking up. The term hypnagogia often encompasses hypnopompia as well. Hypnagogic sensations collectively describe the vivid dream-like auditory, visual, or tactile sensations that can be experienced in a hypnagogic or hypnopompic state. These sensations can be accompanied by sleep paralysis, the sensation that the body is temporarily paralyzed after waking or before falling asleep. Hypnagogic sensations are vivid dream-like experiences that occur as one is falling asleep or waking up. Accompanying sleep paralysis can cause the sensations to be more frightening. The features of these sensations generally vary by individual, but some are more common to the experience than others:

• Most common
• Vividness
• Impending doom
• Falling sensation
• Fear
• Common
• Sensing a "presence" (often malevolent)
• Pressure/weight on body (especially the chest or back).
• A sensation of not being able to breathe
• Impending sense of doom/death
• Fairly common
• Auditory sensations (often footsteps or indistinct voices, or pulsing noises). Auditory sensations which are described as noise instead of sensations of distinct or comprehensible sounds, are often described to be similar to auditory sensations caused by Nitrous Oxide by persons who have experienced both.
• Visual sensations such as lights, people or shadows moving around the room
• Less common
• Floating sensations (often described as out-of-body experiences)
• Seamless transition into fully immersive lucid dreaming, also associated with out-of-body experiences
• Tactile sensations (such as a hand touching or grabbing)
• Rare
• Vibration
• Involuntary movements (sometimes the feeling of sliding off the bed or even up walls).
• The feeling of being pulled in different directions

The hypnagogic state can be accompanied by or associated with anomalous phenomena such as alien abduction, extra-sensory perception, telepathy, apparitions, or prophetic or crisis visions. This conduciveness to anomalous phenomena can be correlated with the initial increase of alpha and the later increase of theta brainwaves.

SIDDHIS

A series of supernatural abilities, that certain "gurus" claim to teach.

SORCERY

The word is derived from the root of sortilage(sortiarius, Latin for 'one who casts alot') and refers to the use of magical methods; through evil spirits, for obtaining power over others.

SPECULUM

Any mirror, crystal, shiny metal, or liquid surface used for scrying.

SPELL

A written or spoken incantation used in attempts to produce magical effects. See ,Charms

SPIRIT

(Derived from the Latin word for 'breath')A soul, or an immaterial substance, entity or pattern said to inhabit a living creature. It can be coerced out of the body or will voluntarily leave it, for various reasons. However it relinquishes the body involuntarily upon death and is reported to survive. See ,Ghost

SPRITE

A small demon, fairy or other spirit with some supernatural powers, be it on a smaller scale.

STIGMATA

As a religious phenomena, in Christianity and Catholicism, spontaneous wounds of the hands, feet and head. These supposedly correspond to the traditional wounds on the body of Jesus Christ.(For Stigmatized Properties, see the next listing; Stigmatized Properties)

STIGMATIZED PROPERTY

Stigmatized property is a term used in the real estate business which describes possible detrimental features of a property or home, all the result of unfortunate occurrences. These can include murder, suicide or even AIDS, in addition to a belief that a house may be haunted. Famous homes, such as those used in television or movies, can also be stigmatized due to increased traffic from fans wanting to see the house in person. One such home is the house that was made famous in the film The Amityville Horror. The house which was located at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York was the site where Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered his family, and a little over a year later the Lutz family claimed that evil spirits drove them from their home. Since the film's release, the house has been renovated and the address changed in an attempt to prevent sightseers from disturbing the neighborhood. Even though a particular buyer may not care about any stigma attached to the property, the stigma may make it very difficult to resell in the future. Therefore, while a buyer may or may not believe in supernatural phenomena, he/she may want to know about a property's bloody past. However, depending on the jurisdiction of the house, the seller may not be required to disclose the full facts.

SUCCUBUS

The word "succubus" comes from an alteration of the Late Latin succuba meaning "strumpet". The word itself is derived from the Latin prefix "sub-" which means "below, underneath", and the verb "cubo" which means "I lie". In Western medieval legend, a succubus (plural succubi) or succuba (plural succubae) is a demon who takes the form of a beautiful woman to seduce men (especially monks) in dreams to have sexual intercourse. They draw energy from the men to sustain themselves, often until the point of exhaustion or death of the victim. From mythology and fantasy, Lilith and the Lilin (Jewish) and Lilitu (Sumerian) are, in redactive Christian fables (folktales not part of official Christian theology), considered succubi. According to the Malleus Maleficarum, or "Witches' Hammer", succubi would collect semen from the men they slept with, which incubi would then use to impregnate women. Children so begotten were supposed to be more susceptible to the influence of demons. In some beliefs the succubi would metamorphose into the Incubus with its newly collected semen ready to impregnate their victims. This was to account for the fact that demons could not reproduce naturally, however the incubus could impregnate women.

SYLPH

Sylph is a mythological creature in the Western tradition. The term originates with Paracelsus, who describes sylphs as invisible beings of the air, his elementals of air. There is no substantial mythos associated with them.

Supernatural T:

TALISMAN

A disk, stone or medal designed to confer some sort of power. This is opposed to an amulet, which purportedly has a more protective purpose.

Supernatural U:

UFO

An acronym for Unidentified Flying Object.

UNICORN

A mythical creature resembling a small horse, with a beard like appendage and a long spiral horn, projecting from the forehead.