Paganism: Comes from the Latin term paganus, meaning “rural” and “rustic.” The word paganism was generated by the early Christian church and was commonly used in a defamatory sense. Other expressions were hellene and heathen and were used by the early Christians for individuals who practiced polytheism. This pre-Christian religion was a nature-based faith incorporating beliefs in multiple gods and goddesses. During medieval times, paganism was connoted as those who worshiped false gods. From the arrival of paganism and through the twentieth century, individuals did not use the term pagan to describe the religion they practiced.
Pallomancy: (See also Pendulum.) From the Greek word pallo. A form of divination by using a pendulum.
Palmistry: Palm reading. Also known as “chirology” and “chiromancy.” A way of deciphering an individual’s character or their past, present, and future by inspecting the lines, the shape, and the nails of the hand. Palmistry is an extremely technical subject with some practitioners claiming that if one were to study the hand thoroughly, it would take an average of thirty hours to complete the reading.
Pan: In ancient Greek mythology, Pan was a great god of enormous power. Lord of nature and shepherds, music and mountains; portrayed as half man, half goat, similar to a faun or satyr. This horned god was worshiped by ancient pagans and is sacred to neopagans today. When the Christians came into power, Pan was demonized and was then acknowledged throughout history as the devil.
Pandora’s Box: A Greek mythology tale mentioned in Hesiod’s “Works and Days,” a didactic poem. Pandora’s box was an ancient object that was said to hold all the evils of the world, plagues, sickness, and death. The term box is a misnomer as it was actually a storage jar. Pandora (meaning all-giving) was the first woman on earth. Zeus, the king of the gods, instructed Hephaestus to create her. Pandora was not meant to open the jar, which was left in the care of Prometheus, the brother of Epimetheus, but her curiosity got the better of her. When the jar was opened, it released its terrible contents, and so she shut it very quickly before all the sins of humanity escaped and destroyed hope.
Paradise: An etheric realm that sits beyond the fifth or sixth plane. A place of sublime beauty with a perfect vibration where one might go after death. (Borgia, 2017.)
Parakinesis: (See Telekinesis.)
Paranormal: Unexplained happenings that occur beyond scientific understanding. Aliens, UFOs, clairvoyance, telekinesis, apparitions, anomalies, ghosts, and so on.
Paranormal Investigators: People who visit haunted locations to collect evidence of ghosts and spirits using various forms of technology to capture evidence or communicate with the spirit. EMF (electromagnetic force) and EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) detections.
Parapsychic: An individual who scores high on tests by channeling information from the subconscious mind.
Parapsychology: A pseudoscience investigating paranormal and psychic phenomenon, including telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, reincarnation, psychokinesis, near-death encounters, and otherworldly anomalies. (Irwin and Watt, 2007.)
Paraspirit Phenomenon: An event where the spirit leaves the body at the point of death and stays in the etheric world where it can speak with the living.
Parasyte: Also known as “psychic vampire.” One who soaks up psychic and emotional energy from other people when in contact with them, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Pareidolia: A psychological occurrence where a person can see patterns, shapes, and faces in everyday objects. For example, seeing faces or animal images in cloud formations, curtains, and hedgerows. (Baker, 2018.)
Parental Telepathy: When a parent is aware of the emotions and thoughts of their child when separated or when not communicating verbally. Feeling a sense of earnestness when their child is in distress. Heightened instincts between parent and child.
Partner Clairvoyance: A simultaneous psychic vision experienced by two or more people at the same time. This can also take place when two acquaintances, who are not in a relationship, dream the same dream or both choose the same greeting cards for each other.
Past Life Regression: A hypnotic session carried out by a hypnotherapist where a person is in a beta state of consciousness. The subject is put into a deep trance to tap into dormant memories to discover their past lives. This unearthing of previous existence is achievable by accessing the memories in one’s subconscious. It is imagined that a significant number of a person’s characteristics come from their past lives, and even birthmarks or unexplained pain in the body can be a result of a wound, scar, or illness of a previous life. Phobias and fears are also linked to past life sufferings. (Zsange, 2015.)
Past Lives: (See also Reincarnation.) A theory that has been present for approximately three thousand years. The possibility that humans are born into the world again and again—the cycle of birth and death. The earth is simply a place, similar to that of a school, where an individual’s spirit keeps returning. A soul is not just limited to having a life on the planet Earth, as those who have channeled higher sources say that incarnations can take place on other worlds in the universe, too. With every life, a person experiences many challenges. These lessons can be both good and bad, but with each test, the soul climbs the ladder of spirituality. Memories of past lives are said to be wiped from the mind so that one life’s lessons do not infiltrate into another. One can have thousands of incarnations until their soul has reached a state of perfection. When reincarnation is complete, the spirit will become part of the divine source. Past lives theory is when a person’s soul carries feelings of resentments, fears, or contempt from one life into the next. For example, a person harms or hinders another in one life; they then reincarnate with the same individual, who carries the distress and hatred of the previous incident into the next life without knowing why. Hypnotic regression can help disperse these emotions and leave the individual at peace with the past. (Weiss, 1994.)
Peacock: These winged animals are viewed as lucky, with the tail of the peacock portraying a thousand eyes. In Hinduism, individuals trusted that the plumes of the bird had the supernatural properties to rid a person of infection, and peacocks were depicted in homes as a form of protection. Other cultures see the peacock’s quill as an indication of ill fortune, with the plumage resembling the eyes of the devil; so, having a peacock’s feather in the home was considered very unlucky.
Pearlwort: Sagina procumbens. In Scottish folklore, pearlwort is said to have powers of protection and to be an enchanted plant or weed that can give cosmic energy from the earth to people. In ancient times, pearlwort was placed on the doors of homes to ward off negative energy. In the fields, it was planted to keep away mischievous nature spirits.
Pegasus: A mythical, immortal, winged horse who stands out among the most revered animals in Greek folklore. He was born from Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa and is pure white in color. When Perseus beheaded Medusa, Pegasus was said to have sprung from her blood. Today, Pegasus represents a mysterious creature who brings divine inspiration. He flies high toward the heavens and has multiple abilities. When his hooves land on earth, flowers grow from his every hoofprint.
Other than his capacity to fly, which makes him superior over every other steed, Pegasus has a store of otherworldly powers. He has a free passage from the human domain to the spirit world, and whenever he lands on the earth, he creates magnificent springs of water that motivate and enthuse artists.
Pegomancy: The art of divination using fountains and studying the movement of water and water droplets.
Penates: Ancient Roman nature spirits considered to be gods or deities who watched over the food larders to ensure there was always an abundance for the people living there. The beings were said to bring good luck and prosperity to the home. In Roman mythology, the householders had figurines of penates placed around the dwelling to ensure they never starved.
Pendulum: (See also Dowsing.) A type of divining apparatus in the form of a solitary precious stone or weight, which is suspended from a chain. The diviner holds the chain around halfway up, enabling it to swing freely. Before a session, the diviner will verbally ask the pendulum which movement represents “yes” and which implies “no.” The pendulum moves in a circular clockwise or anticlockwise motion and even side to side to uncover the answer. Pendulum users will use a variety of things to dowse, such as a button on a string, crystals, a conker, and, in the British Isles, a threaded needle, which when suspended over a pregnant woman’s stomach is said to tell whether the child will be male or female. (Hunter, 2019.)
Pendulist: A person who is adept in the art of dowsing, often seeking out lost items, missing people, or residual ghostly energy.
Pentacle: (See also Pentagram.) A five-pointed star with an encompassing circle. This symbol has the same meaning as the pentagram and is also displayed as a representation of the suit of coins in traditional decks of tarot.
Pentagram: A five-pointed star. The pentagram is a magical symbol that has ancient Greek and Babylonian roots. In the upright position, it represents the figure of a human, with the top point depicting the head, the two side points representing the arms, and the lower points depicting the legs. In the reverse position, the pentagram subtly symbolizes the pagan horned god Pan, with the two ends of the star representing the two horns and the lower point showing the chin. The Christians later denounced the pagans’ god as the devil, and so the pentagram has since taken on a more sinister meaning. In early Christianity, the five points represented the five wounds of Jesus. In Wicca, the five points of the star signify the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Today, the pentagram is the symbol used by Wiccans and is present on most altars during ritual and spell casting. Wiccans use it to indicate the five elements and also as an icon of protection. It is sometimes worn in the form of jewelry.
Phantom: (See Ghost.)
Phantom Hitchhiker: The ghostly apparition of a person on quiet or lonely roads or somewhere where a harrowing accident or death took place.
Phoenix: In Greek folklore, a phoenix is an immortal feathered creature who is repeatedly reborn. Related with the sun, the phoenix acquires new life by emerging from the ashes of its forerunner.
Phoenix Lights: On March 13, 1997, authorities were inundated with reports of a substantial delta-shaped craft flying from Nevada across Phoenix and toward Houston. Later, a line of bright lights appeared over Phoenix and hovered there for quite some time. Many residents captured video footage of the event and images were publicized in newspapers and television. Frances Barwood, a Phoenix city councilor, collected testimony from over seven hundred witnesses of both events. Later, the US Air Force claimed the lights were flares, dropped as part of an exercise.
Initially, authorities played down the incident, and Arizona Governor Fife Symington called a press conference and presented a member of his staff dressed in an alien costume as the “cause of the commotion.” In later years, Symington admitted he had personally seen the delta-shaped craft but had felt it was his duty to downplay the event. (Fox 10 Phoenix, 2016.)
Photographology: Centering one’s focus on a photograph of a person to gain information about their future.
Photo Telepathy: Projecting and focusing one’s thoughts and messages onto a photograph of an individual in the hope that they receive the information.
Physical Plane: The earth and all the worldly materials found on it.
Physical Reading: A technique by which a psychic individual can visually scan a person’s body to recognize any physical or mental ailments.
Picturization: (See Visualization.)
Pink Noise: Played sounds—such as white noise, ocean sounds, birdsong, or raindrops—that allows a psychic to go into a deep meditative state before receiving spiritual information.
Piper: A nature spirit who dances in the woods wearing a green suit with a red hat. He is renowned for being naughty and playful but tenderhearted nonetheless.
PI-RAY Healing: Said to originate from the Egyptian healing schools of Isis and Horus. A rapid energy treatment that performs on a person’s physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental vivacities. It connects to the cosmic life force, focusing healing to the individual. This system is fundamentally the same as Reiki, yet on an increasingly escalated dimension, taking just a couple of minutes to finish the whole procedure.
Picture Telepathy Cards: (See Zener Cards.)
Pixie: Cornwall, England. Smaller than a typical fairy, a pixie is a mystical winged creature of ancient folklore. Pixies are portrayed as wearing green clothing and having pointy ears and an upturned nose. Pixies are thought to live in the higher moorland areas of Devon and Cornwall and have an aptitude for speed. They are thought to dance around standing stones and dwell on farms, bringing the owners joy and happiness.
Planchette: (See also Spirit Board.) A small heart-shaped wooden plank used as a pointer when conducting a séance with a spirit board.
Plant Communication: Flowers and plants that respond to kindness when spoken to. Much research has been done to discover whether plants react to sense, touch, and stimuli. The belief is that talking to your plants and psychically tuning in to their energy encourages regrowth. In the UK, Prince Charles has been known to try this remedy on his plants. (Sydney Morning Herald, 2010.)
Poltergeist: A spirit entity that can tap into the energies of a teenager to gather form so that it can be seen. Often poltergeist activities will occur around adolescence, as young people’s energies are generally heightened, which attracts ghosts or entities to them. Some poltergeists are friendly; others are sinister and malevolent and have the power to rip off bedclothes when a person is sleeping or even touch them and leave scratches.
Poppet: Also known as “poppit, moppet, pippy, poppet doll.” A small doll crafted to look like a person, made from any number of materials, such as wool, straw, clay, roots, corn husks, potato, wax, and branches. Fabric dolls are often stuffed with herbs and items with magical intent. In ancient times, it was a practice to place poppets inside chimneys and under floorboards to bring about protection and luck.
Portal: A doorway to the universe: a place, person, or object that acts as an entrance or passage for spiritual entities to cross from their realm to the earth. The most widely recognized entry points are mirrors, doorways, windows, waterfalls, and riverways. Spirit guides, angels, aliens, and time travelers are thought to frequently pass through these gateways or any place where energy can flow two ways.
Possession: Spirit possession (invasion) is a term for the conviction that entities, demons, divine beings, aliens, or spirits can assume responsibility for a human body. The idea of possession exists in numerous religions, such as Christianity, Buddhism, Wicca, Hinduism, Islam, and Asian and African customs.
Potion: A kind of mystical elixir of liquified medication. In folklore and writing, the concoction is usually brewed by a sorcerer, fairy, or witch and possesses enchanted properties. The potion was used for bewitching, healing, or harming a person.
Pouches: (See also Wish Boxes.) Also known as “mojo bags” or “gris-gris.” A small fabric or drawstring bag that is filled with a blend of ingredients and items to invoke a chosen desire. Pouches are usually created by witches, sorcerers, and Shamans and are designed with a specific purpose in mind. One ritual is to fill a pouch with objects and then place it on the altar next to a suitably colored candle for the task at hand. A mantra is then spoken over the bag to enhance its capacity.
Power Animal: A spirit in the form of an animal that is thought to help, guard, and protect an individual. It is often believed that if one has an affinity with a particular creature, like a bear, wolf, or eagle, they are subconsciously tapping into the energy of their power animal. These creatures can be called upon through meditation and magical summoning to assist in times of trouble, especially if one feels unprotected. (Farmer, 2004.)
Prana: The life principle that is found everywhere. In Indian martial arts, Indian medicine, and Hinduism, prana indicates life force, energy, and breath and invigorates all universal matter. In ancient Hindu writings such as the Upanishads and Vedas, it is believed that prana originates from the sun. By using breathing techniques, a higher form of consciousness is reached. (Saraswati, 2009.)
Precognition: A person can have a connection or a sensitivity to either the earth’s electromagnetic field or some other psychic gift, which gives a sensation of warning moments or days before an unpleasant event happens. An example would be a feeling of dread before visiting a friend only to have a car crash on the way there, or, when meeting a person for the first time, feeling an instant dislike for them, only to be proven right when the person shows their true personality. (Keen, 2019.)
Premonition: Vision and future sight. A forewarning that comes in the form of an intense sensation or anxiety. Realizing when something will occur before it happens. Gut feelings or hunches can be a warning or impulse, and these occurrences can even appear in the way of a prophetic dream. Premonition isn’t only present in mystics or clairvoyants; it is believed to be associated with our characteristic instinct, so anybody can have these forewarnings.
Prophet: An intermediary. A human being who can connect and communicate to a divine entity and relay information and teachings from the spiritual being.
Psychic: An individual who uses mystical perception and insight to detect unseen information. Psychics can predict future events by recognizing a feeling or seeing a vision. Without prompting, they can also pick up on a person’s life or troubles by merely talking to them. For adults, information that a psychic receives is not always clear or direct, so it can take a while to figure out the true meaning of the messages. Psychics often use divination tools to delve deeper into their extrasensory powers. It is thought that we all possess a sixth sense, but because of the way we have evolved over time, most of us have lost this ability.
Psychic attack: A psychic attack or assault happens when a person sends another negative energy, regardless of whether it is intentional or not. This power can dole out substantial damage in a physical and mental sense to whoever is in the firing line. Being around people who are depressed, aggressive, or agitated can manifest this negativity, resulting in a succession of bad luck, ill-health, or emotional anxiety for those around them. Protecting oneself from such an attack is not easy, but counteracting every adverse action with a positive one can help. Also, the crystal fluorite is believed to repel negative energy by not allowing a person’s aura to absorb it.
Psychic Phenomenon in Children: Newborn babies and young infants are believed to possess psychic or clairvoyant abilities. This might be because they have just arrived from the spirit world, and so they have prior knowledge of otherworldly things. When a healthy child is very young, they might stare into thin air or seem to be engaged with an invisible someone or something. One theory is that the child’s guide, spirit helper, or family member will come to give encouragement and comfort to the infant in these early stages of life. New Age thinkers believe that all children are psychic until the age of seven, and then, as the child develops into puberty, the gift slowly disappears.
Psychokinesis: (See Telekinesis.)
Psychometry: A technique where a psychic or sensitive person can touch or hold an object and receive information about the owner or its history. Often, the object is held up to the third eye to get a clearer vision. (Stroia, 2015.)
Psychometric Palmistry: When a palmist picks up an individual’s hand, they can occasionally get a static shock from it. This means the querent has received awful news or might have experienced an electrical trauma. Another example is when the palmist gets a sudden pain in their back or an unpleasant ache in the stomach. All these symptoms have a strong chance of being transmitted from their client to the practitioner. There is a negative side to psychometric palmistry, too; when the psychic first touches the hand of the inquirer, they might feel the inquirer has a negative vibration, and so may refuse to go ahead with the reading. This could be because the client’s energy is negative or that the palmist psychically picks up that the client is soon to die.
Pyramid: A human-made structure constructed by many civilizations around the globe, taking the form of a wide base tapering to the top with either three or four smooth or stepped sides. Probably the best-known pyramids are in Egypt, where they developed from simple rectangular “masaba” tombs that were being used for burials pre-3000 BCE to the more recognizable smooth-sided pyramids, which started appearing around 2575 BCE. The largest of the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Pyramid of Giza (or Pyramid of Khufu), was constructed over a ten- to twenty-year period around 2560 BCE and stood at 146.5 meters tall. Most of the over eighty pyramids that have been uncovered in Egypt were used as tombs for the pharaohs and senior statesmen and were often decorated with pages from the book of the dead (the equivalent to the Christian bible for the ancient Egyptians) and were designed to ease the passage of the deceased into the afterlife.
Pyramids served other purposes in other cultures. The Monte d’Accoddi in Sardina dated between 4000 to 3650 BCE and was constructed by the Ozeri culture for the purposes of carrying out the sacrifice of animals.
Pyramids were also constructed by the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations in the Americas to house their deities or bury their kings, as well as to form the centers of their public life where they might perform holy rituals. The earliest pyramids in this region were being constructed by Olmecs between 1000 BCE and 400 BCE. The ancient Egyptians saw the pyramids as a symbol, giving new life to the dead. Alien theorists suggest that the pyramid might have been a transmitter or marker to attract alien crafts. (Redford, 2001; Dyson and Rowland, 2007; and Diehl and Daniel, 2006.)
Pyromancy: A form of divination where one studies the movement of fire, seeking out images and symbols within the flames. Fire scrying is another way to gain otherworldly information and to envision events that foretell the future. It is believed that this practice dates back to when fire was first discovered by humanity.