Paranormal investigators often use different terms to describe hauntings, equipment or different kinds of phenomena.  When you are starting out, it can be really overwhelming not knowing what all these abbreviations mean.  At the end of my book Stuff Paranormal Investigators Need To Know, I included a short glossary of common terms mentioned in the book to help people understand all of these terms in context.  I thought I would share this glossary here too!  If there are words you think should be included, let me know!

Paranormal Glossary

• EVP: Electronic Voice Phenomena.  A voice heard on a recording that was not heard by the human ear at the time of recording.
• EMF: Electromagnetic Field
• Spirit Box: A hacked radio that scans through radio stations at a fast rate.  While a syllable of a word is picked up from the radio stations, full words or sentences are thought by some to be a spirit communicating
• Ovilus: A device with a dictionary of words.  It picks up on changes to the atmosphere around it.  These changes correspond to a word in the dictionary.  Some people believe spirits can manipulate the device to show words to communicate.
• K-11 Meter:  A device that picks up on EMF.  Electricians use it to find power in the walls.
• EM Pump:  A device that emits a low level magnetic field.  Some believe it works like ‘food’ for spirits.
• Faraday Pouch: A bag or enclosure used to block out EMF
• Psychic/Medium/Sensitive: A person who feels they can communicate with spirits using their mind.  They often see, feel or hear spirits.
• ORBS:  Balls of light.  These are most present in photographs caused by dust and moisture particles bouncing off light.  People do report seeing orbs or balls of light with their own eyes.  These are considered by some to be the energy of a spirt.
• Third Eye:  Believed to be the eye of insight that allows a person to see with their sixth sense..
• Sceptic/skeptic:  A person that does not believe in paranormal phenomenon.  They believe it can be explained by Science.
• ESP: Extra Sensory Perception – also known as the sixth sense where a person receives information with their mind.  Telepathy and PSI also describe this
• Intelligent:  An intelligent spirit is one that can communicate and give responses to questions.  .
• Residual:  A spirit or energy that is like a recording of the past.  They are in a loop like a video playback.  They are unaware you are there and cannot communicate.
• Demonic:  A negative entity believed to be a demon that influences a person
• Full Bodied Apparition:  A spirit that appears like a living person.  It is solid in appearance and not transparent.
• Shadow Person:  It is believed to be some sort of entity that looks like a human but has no features.  It appears as a black shadow.
• Debunk:  Explain an experience.  Solve the mystery
• Evidence:  Data gathered during an investigation that aims to prove a theory
• Stonetape Theory:  A theory that rock or stone can absorb energy.  If there is a traumatic event such as a murder, this could be absorbed in the stone.  If the conditions are right, it could play back this event like a form of residual energy.  The name and concept is based on a movie.
• Singapore Theory:  It is a technique used by investigators which is an action of familiarization to the spirit.  Playing music they may have liked or having a bottle of whiskey if they liked whiskey are examples.
• Trigger object:  An object used to get a spirit to interact – such as a teddy bear for a child
• Infrared:  A spectrum of light we cannot see with our eyes.  IR as it is otherwise known is offered used to film during paranormal investigations with the thought that it can see things we cannot.
• Cold Spot:  A cold patch of air.  It is thought that when a spirit is trying to show itself, it draws in energy from its surroundings making it colder.
• Hot Spot:  A place where paranormal activity is reported
• Spirit Guide: A spiritual guide who acts as a protector and provides guidance
• Empath:  A person that can feel the emotions of another person or a spirit

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