The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World: The Ultimate A–Z of Spirits, Mysteries and the Paranormal

The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World: The Ultimate A–Z of Spirits, Mysteries and the Paranormal
Theresa Cheung

This is the definitive A-Z reference book on all things psychic, mysterious and paranormal – the marvels, secrets and mysteries of the visible and the invisible world. This wonderful guide covers everything you could want to know including ghosts, strange phenomena, people, places, events, and ideas.Featuring over 800 A-to-Z entries, this Psychic Encyclopedia is a fascinating compendium of worldwide paranormal activity. With explanations of strange phenomena from both folklore and modern scientific research.Factual information on and explanations of: mediums and spiritualists to near-death experience, ghosts, levitation, telepathy, astral travel, precognition, all forms of divination (tarot, runes, crystal balls, tea leaves, etc.), evidence for the afterlife, contacting spirit guides, haunted sites, famous historical figures, haunted places and documented experiments, and much more.A complete reference of paranormal myth and folklore – and the myths and legends surrounding ghosts and spirits in different cultures throughout the world, from famous ghost stories to various beliefs and superstitions that have taken root in different countries.

Theresa Cheung

THE ELEMENT

ENCYCLOPEDIA

OF THE PSYCHIC

WORLD

the ultimate a-z of spirits, mysteries and the paranormal

Contents

Cover (#u30c8c440-b906-5663-89bf-60e92830ea70)

Title Page (#u4d1afb85-5867-55a5-bcb8-39df563ac194)

Introduction (#u49e1cb47-3a30-5773-945b-c2039579b52c)

A (#ubb3999d9-db8f-5e4f-8cf9-1a4e90f61442)

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Resources (#litres_trial_promo)

Index (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Introduction (#ulink_3933e269-4dca-5aa0-a8e2-37fd809ba87a)

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.

(Oliver Wendell Holmes)

In the last few decades interest in the psychic world has escalated. Beyond the basic Steven King novel, the idea of being psychic or having psychic abilities has penetrated deeply into mainstream culture.

The movie Ghost (1990), with Whoopie Goldberg as reluctant medium Oda May Brown, was the first blockbuster film to portray psychic phenomena in a positive light. Since then a steady stream of books, films and documentaries has followed. Organizations, seminars, workshops, websites, study programmes, chat rooms and courses in parapsychology (the study of the paranormal or unexplained) and psychic development have sprung up over night. Doctors and researchers in holistic health are assembling a startling body of evidence for the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit. We can now speak ‘openly’ about alternative healings, meditative and psychic experiences without fear of ridicule.

Yet despite all the attention currently being given to psychic phenomena, their true nature still lies deeply shrouded in mystery. One of our favourite ways for dealing with the unknown is through language. We assign a word to an experience, to something we want to describe, and then we feel we have a handle on it. So let’s try to get a grasp on this great unknown, the universe of psychic phenomena, by assigning words to it.

To begin with, what do we mean by ‘psychic? The word psychic describes anything in connection with the psyche. ‘Psyche’ dates back to ancient times when a goddess by the name of Psyche was thought to be in charge of the invisible but essential part of human existence. Over time the word and its meaning evolved, and today a Thesaurus offers the following synonyms: mind, soul, self, subconscious, spirit, subliminal self, inner self, awareness, ego and individuality. Today we use the word psyche to refer generically to all kinds of phenomena, experiences or events that seem to be related to the invisible mind, internal body sensations and altered states of consciousness, which cannot be explained by established physical principles.