Spirit/Entity - Any non-physical energy form that can interact with its surroundings, including astral and/or physical planes). Some spirits are intelligent, while others are remnants or unconscious beings created for a specific purpose. The term ‘spirit’ encompasses non-human entities, deceased humans, deities, and animal spirits.
Deities - The gods, goddesses, and spirits worshiped by some cultures or groups. Both modern and historically worshiped gods fall into this category.
Non-Human Spirits - Any spirit that is not and never was human. These spirits tend to never have had a physical form, except in the case of animal or plant spirits. Examples include: most deities, malevolent entities, and servitors.
Remnants/Imprints - Energetic memories stored within an area, object, or person. Sometimes, human spirits are caught re-living traumatic events that occured during their lifetime, while other remnants/imprints are simply events replaying on their own without a spirit attached. Due to the intense energetic outpour during the event(s) in question, it causes a permanent ‘wound’ to be placed upon the afflicted object. Unless interrupted, these ‘recorded’ memories can continue indefinitely.
Closed Cultures - Cultures whose religions, practices, and/or way of life is not openly shared with everyone. These kinds of cultures do not welcome people outside of their lineage, raising, and/or teaching to follow in their footsteps.
Appropriation - The taking up of a religion, practice, or way of life from a closed culture; stealing a piece of a culture without being given explicit permission from a vast majority of the population that comprises it.
Open Cultures - Cultures whose religions, practices, and/or way of life is openly shared with everyone. These kinds of cultures invite others to partake in their lifestyle or belief system.
Semi-Closed Cultures - These kinds of cultures are closed to most people, and/or require an initiation to join them as a member. They may be restricted to specific lineages/races/nationalities, or require teaching to allow someone from the outside to become a part of their cultural identity.
Spirit Shops - Shops that sell spirits or provide direction and help for finding a spirit companion. They may bind a spirit to a vessel, or help you receive the spirit without them being bound to any object. The person selling the spirit or service for finding a spirit usually will have reviews, guidelines, and ethical statements somewhere on their shop site. They may provide reverse spirit adoptions, too.
Spirit Vetting - The process used by many spirit shops and centers to determine if a spirit they come into contact with is suitable for any of their customers. They may place experience level recommendations or preferences that the spirit has somewhere on their profile or introduction.
Spirit Adoption Centers - Similar to spirit shops; adoption centers provide a free or reasonably priced way to find a spirit companion to suit your preferences. They usually go through vetting as thoroughly as spirit shops’ spirits.
Reverse Spirit Adoptions - The use of the clients energy to attract potential spirit companions. The spirit shop or adoption center doing this may send a message with the energy for the spirit to see before applying to be vetted and possibly meet the client.
Initiation - The process by which a religion, group, or culture may ritualistically include someone into their practices.
Folklore - Beliefs, stories, legends, and traditional actions of a culture or population. Often locally based and shared through family or friend conversations.
Urban Legends - Modern beliefs, stories, and legends formed from local folklore, suspicion, or gossip.
Servitors - Spirits created to serve a specific purpose; may be a, unconscious piece of the creator, or an original creation made from energy, imagery, and intent.
Doppelganger Spirits - The spirit that seems to be a ‘reflection’ of yourself, often seen before your death. Some have reportedly seen their doppelganger, and were saved from disaster by checking their lives for any threats such as gas leaks, car issues, and habits.
Energy - fuel for a spirit, person, or intention; the fingerprint that makes our energetic fields and metaphysical energy levels our own. Can be obtained from outside sources such as crystals, herbs, and electrical stimuli.
Spirit Vessel - The habitat or home of a spirit. A vessel may be a vase, jar, or bowl, but there are other options such as consecrated jewelry or candles. When bound, a spirit may be connected to their vessel and be unable to travel far from it.
Parasitic Entity - An spirit that takes and uses energy from its host, which is usually a living being. Typically done without permission, but there are also energetic vampires that do not intentionally take energy, or do ask permission. Some humans are energetic vampires.
Ancestral Spirit - A spirit that you relate to in some way; a spirit from the past that is connected to you. Some ancestral spirits are blood relatives, family friends, spiritual predecessors, or even trade/skill ancestors.
Calling/Summoning - The act of invoking a spirit with the use of a chant, ritual, or prayer. A term from a closed culture related to this is “conjuring”, which is used frequently among spirit workers.
Banishing - The act of forcefully removing a spirit from an area, or commanding it to leave. Often used when malevolent entities refuse to leave a home or sacred space.
Spectre - A spirit that appears to someone physically. Often seen by humans in terrifying forms, or threatening figures.
Binding - The linking of a spirit to a vessel, whether to house them or to banish them by physically removing the vessel afterwards. Used by spirit workers to help spirits ground themselves to a certain area, or to provide energy to them directly via the vessel they are bound to.
Spirit Guide - A guide of a living person who gently prompts change, advice, or guidance throughout their life. Some people believe that you have one your entire life, while others find that they come and go as years pass.
Spirit Companion - A spirit that accompanies someone. A spirit ‘friend’ or ‘acquaintance’ built through consensual relationships and activities.
Thoughtform - A spirit created, typically unconsciously, by someone’s energy and time spent focused on an intent or spiritual entity. Some writers find that the characters they work on and create the most can become thoughtforms.
Possession - The overtaking of a physical body by a spirit; usually by force. Can lead to changes in personality, speech, or actions.
Channeling - The controlled or consensual habitation of a person by a spirit for a certain amount of time. Usually used to learn information or to allow the spirit to speak directly to someone.
Malevolent Entity - A spirit that wishes ill on other spirits or humans. Often seen as evil, terrifying, or hateful for seemingly no reason.
Ghosts - The term used to describe deceased human spirits.
Species - Different sub-categories or types of spirits in their relative families.
Altar - A space used to work or conduct spells, rituals, and bindings. In some religions, an altar is a place to make offerings, but it is also a term for a general spiritual workspace.
Shrine - A space used to venerate spirits, make offerings, and worship if applicable. Ancestral spaces are most often referred to as shrines.
Astral Realm - The many planes and branches of the non-physical realm, and all that resides within it. This is a vague term for the non-physical space that syncs up with our own world.
Astral Projection - The act of ‘leaving’ your body to explore the astral realm. Some find that meditating leads to an affective projection technique, while others prefer nearing sleep or using a dream state to do so.
Poltergeist Activity - Activity caused by a non-physical spirit, including biting, moving objects, scratching, and more.
Poltergeist Spirit - As a spirit type, poltergeists are the accidental servitors of a living person, leading to physical disruptions or visions. Often caused by extreme emotion connected to an area or person. They are non-intelligent spirits.
Divination - The act by which a diviner (the person doing divination) uses any method of divination to determine an answer or response to some sort of question. Examples include: reading tarot, using a pendulum, and scrying.
Scrying - A divination method in which the diviner enters a meditative state and gazes into a medium. They may receive images, scenes, and other sensory responses, which they then use to interpret in regards to the question at hand.
Pendulum Divination - The use of a pendulum (string or chain with a weighted end) to divine. The direction in which the pendulum swings over a labelled board determines the answer to the question. Most commonly, the possible answers are: yes, no, maybe, ask again later, and don’t want to answer.
Spirit Worker - Someone who communicates with, works with, or otherwise engages in the company of spirits. Most religions do not wish to think of their communication with deities as spirit work.
