The Spiritualist Church
of New Zealand
(Constituted Under the SCNZ Act 1924)

 
 

Definitions
 

 

Apport                   An apport is the transference of an object from one place or time to another by no obvious means.  This is often associated with poltergeist activity where an object disappears and then reappears in a different place.  On rare occasions, a person may observe an object appearing.   

Astral Travel          Out of body travel by your spirit, usually while you are asleep but may also happen while day dreaming or in meditation. 

Aura                     The fields of energy that surround both people and objects, often seen in a variety of colours that reflect the vitality of the body. 

Automatic Writing  Writing from the spirit realm, through a person, usually a medium.  This can also be in the form of paintings.  In these cases, the human hand is directed by a force other than the human, who has no input into that which is written or drawn.

Clairaudience        The ability to hear discarnate spirit voices and/or sounds.

Clairsentience       The ability to sense discarnate spirit.

Clairvoyance         The ability to see discarnate spirit forms.

Circle                    A gathering of people wishing to communicate with the Spirit realm.

Communication     Contact between a human and a discarnate spirit. Developing Circle A circle which is run with the specific purpose of developing people’s ability to contact the spirit realm.

Direct Voice          The formation of a voice box using ectoplasm which can produce a sound similar to discarnate spirits own voice.

Discarnate           Spirit entity without a physical body.

Earth Plane          Description used to differentiate between our worldand the spirit realm.

Ectoplasm            A substance drawn from the human body by spirit operators for use in the production of physical phenomena.

Ego                      A necessary part of all humans that, when in balance, allows them to fulfil certain tasks.  A lack of ego or too much ego can lead to them acting inappropriately.

Elemental             Term used to describe a nature spirit.

Elongation            A rare and peculiar phenomenon of physical mediumship in which the body of the medium seems to grow in stature.  D.D. Home demonstrated this on several occasions.

Entity                  A term often used to refer to a spirit form.

E.S.P.                 Extra Sensory Perception.  This is a scientific term forperception without the use of the recognised sense organs.

Etheric Body       This is the energy body that surrounds the physicalbody. It is the network of energy that allows communication with all part of the body. Phenomena such as acupuncture, telepathy, Kirlian photographic effects,  and spiritual healing are directed through the etheric body, thus balancing the energy forces within the body.

Etheric Plane      A term made popular in the late 19th century to describe the spirit realm.

Evidence            Proven or probably fact.

God                   Universal creative energy of Unconditional Love of which all beings are a part.  Often referred to as Divine Spirit or other similar terms.

Guardian Angel   A guiding spirit with you from the time you are born until you pass back to the spirit realm.

Guides               Those in the spirit realm who have chosen to help and guide us during our earthly life.  These are loving and patient spirits who will help and encourage you to follow your souls pathway.

Healing              see Spiritual Healing.

Incarnate           Spirit entity with a human body.

Intent                Intent is not a thought or an object or a wish.  Intent is that driving belief that allows you to achieve anything that you choose to believe in.

Levitation           The lifting or moving of physical objects or bodies without visible means or contact, in defiance of gravity.  It is described by science as a “mechanical action that differs from all known mechanical action, being exerted at a distance and without contact on persons or objects under certain determinate conditions.” Like attracts Like  Basic principle of people with similarities in character, personality and interest who tend to be drawn towards each other

Materialisation    The most evidential form of physical phenomena in which the visible production of temporary ectoplasmic forms, in various stages of solidity and completeness may be observed.  A physical medium is required for the production of materialised forms

Medium              A person who, under the right conditions, can convey information from the spirit realm.

Message             Communication from the spirit realm.

Naming Service   Service of ceremony where a child or adult is given a forename and/or spirit name.

Ouija                  Usually a board with the letters of the alphabet around it.  A pointer is then used by spirit to spell out words in answer to questions.  This type of communication often attracts the lower more mischievous or harmful type spirits if not correctly monitored.

Overshadowing   State of very light trance which is often confused with transfiguration.

Passing               Term used by Spiritualists for the passing of a soul from the earth plane to the spirit realm, instead of the word death.

Pathway             The journey for this lifetime that your soul has determined before you are born.  Within this journey are the lessons that you have chosen to learn in this lifetime.  However, humans lose the conscious awareness of their purpose when they are born  but are helped to stay on their pathway by their spirit guides and by following their intuition.

Percussion         Physical phenomenon used by spirit communicator in the Hydesville occurrences.

Phenomena       Manifestation of spirit presence of either a physical or mental  nature. Consists of prophecy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, healing, visions, trance, apports, levitation, raps, automatic writings and paintings and psychometry.

Planchette         A small heart-shaped board resting upon two wheels or castors and a pencil which writes without the volition of persons whose hands are resting on the board.

Poltergeist        A noisy and/or mischievous spirit whose activities are frequently due to some resentment or another.  There is visible movement of matter – objects are thrown about, windows and crockery are broken, doors and windows opened and closed and many other disturbances.  These spirits can often be encouraged to cease their activities through the help of a medium.

Prayer              Communication, either vocally or mentally, addressed to God or an entity in the spirit realm.

Psychometry     A form of extra-sensory perception in which a medium is able to obtain information about a person by making physical contact with an object that belongs to them. 

Raps                 A form of spirit communication made famous by “The Hydesville Rappings” where knocks or raps are used to communicate between the two realms.

Seance             A group of people who have gathered with the intention of receiving communication from the spirit realm, through a medium.

Soul                  The spiritual nature of humans, regarded as eternal and separable from the body at death to continue it’s development.

Souls Pathway   see Pathway.

Spirit                 Refers to energy that exists in the spirit realm.  Also refers to an energy within each human being that separates the living body from a corpse.  This spirit develops and grows with the human and has intelligence and consciousness.  Spirits are often referred to as being all connected and all part of the one being, the universal consciousness or God.

Spiritualism        Is a science, a religion and a philosophy that equally satisfies your heart, your mind and your logic, by giving you the answer to that age old question “What happens when I die?” 

Spiritualist         Someone who believes that the soul lives on after the bodily death and that, under suitable conditions, communication is available with those who have passed to the spirit realm.

Spiritual Healer  A person who is allows the healing energy from the spirit  realm to pass through them to others, in order to help them maintain a healthy mind, body and soul.

Spiritual Healing Healing that flows from the spirit realm, through the human spirit to the spirit receiving the healing.  This healing is absorbed at an energetic level in order to help the human body maintain the balance of mind, body and soul and thus help to eliminate disease from the body.

Trance              Form of mediumship where the medium appears to go into a sleep-like condition or altered state of consciousness, to allow his/her body to be a temporary host to a spirit being, which then uses the mediums voice and body. 

Transfiguration  Physical phenomenon.  Ectoplasmic mask created by spirit to resemble recognisable facial features of the communicating spirit.