stigmata most often seen in pious subjects, any mysterious or unexplained bleeding emanating from the same areas as the wounds suffered by Christ during his crucifixion, specifically in the hands and feet or the side of the head, allegedly due to a deep faith and sympathy with Christ.
subjective validation skeptic's term for the acceptance of a psychic's readings by a subject, due more to mental cooperation, specifically with eagerness to believe and desire for the psychic to succeed, rather than any real psychic ability.
Summerland in Wicca, a life-after-death paradise in which a subject prepares for his or her next incarnation.
Sun gazing also known as Sun yoga or solar yoga, gazing at the Sun for brief periods of time, with the belief that it will bring nourishment. Proponents sometimes claim never to have to eat because all of their nutritional needs are met by sunlight.
supernatural that which is beyond the understanding of science and the physical world, as spirits or witchcraft.
sympathetic magic any form of magic that employs components that correspond with real-life counterparts, as voodoo dolls may represent actual people and can be acted upon as such, or as a long line in the palm may be taken to mean the subject will live a long life.
synastry comparing astrological charts to determine if two people would be compatible.
synchronicity a concept created by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who in addition to believing in astrology, ESP, and telepathy, maintained that coincidences hold meaning and that when a coincidence occurs, the universe is trying to communicate something.
talisman an object or charm believed to have magical powers, such as an amulet, sometimes used as protection against evil.
tarot cards a set of 22 pictorial cards symbolizing various forces of nature along with human vices and virtues, used in fortune-telling.
telekinesis moving objects from a remote position without touching them.
telepathy communication with the mind; thought transference.
therapeutic touch a form of therapy in which a healer moves his hands over a patient to direct the flow of energy and induce healing.
third eye psychic ability; extrasensory perception; the ability to see the future.
thoughtography also known as nensha, the burning of images onto surfaces or into someone's mind by psychic abilities.
touched affected by a spirit. Also, demented.
transfiguration when a spirit medium is temporarily possessed and takes on a different appearance, possibly that of the spirit itself.
voodoo a polytheistic religion originating in Africa and mainly practiced in Haiti. Also, any of the charms, fetishes, or curses used in its practice. Also, a practitioner of spells and necromancy.
vortex a powerful eddy through time and space through which one may travel to another dimension.
Walpurgis Night April 30, the night according to medieval Christians on which a witches' sabbath was thought to take place.
warlock a male witch; a sorcerer.
water witch old term for a dowser.
wax reading divination through the interpretation of melted wax patterns left by a burning candle.
whammy a spell, hex, or jinx.
white magic magic employed for good.
Wicca a pagan religion or form of nonevil witchcraft in which female practitioners care for the Earth and our environment.
witch a female who uses black magic or sorcery.
witch ball a glass globe hung in a window to protect against evil spirits.
witchcraft the spells, formulas, incantations, etc., used by a witch.
witch hunt from approximately 1480 to 1700, irrational hunts for people who appeared to be witches, resulting in the hysterical executions of tens of thousands of innocents, sometimes by burning at the stake.
witch's ladder in Wicca, a cord tied with 13 knots, used for counting during chants or meditations.
wort old word for an herb.
wraith a ghost or vision of a living person that is said to appear just before that person dies.
xenoglossia the magical acquisition, mastery, or knowledge of a language one has never studied.
Yule in Wicca, a celebration of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, from December 20 to 23, featuring gift exchanges and feasting. It was adopted and altered by Christians and made into Christmas.
Zenner cards a deck of 25 cards with pictures of geometric shapes, used to test for ESP.
zodiac the celestial pathway followed by the sun, moon and planets, divided into 12 astrological signs.
zombie in voodoo, a snake spirit. Also, a corpse brought back to life, or the force causing this to happen.
FENG sHui
bagua an octagonal mirror used to reflect chi.
chi the energy force or breath of the universe. Also spelled qi.
feng shui ruler a measuring stick showing lucky measurements.
five elements fire, water, wood, earth, and metal.
geomancer a practitioner of feng shui.
luo pan a wooden compass used to determine the flow of cosmic energy, or chi.
pakua an octagonal amulet, with eight sections or trigrams.
qi see chi.
shifu a master or teacher of feng shui. Also known as sifu.
yin and yang opposing energy forces. Yin is considered negative, and yang is positive.
EQUIPMENT AND INSTRUMENTS
autoclave an apparatus that sterilizes medical instruments by steam.
biopsy needle a needle used in obtaining biopsy material.
bistoury a slender surgical knife, used most frequently to open an abscess.
bougie a slender, flexible probe made of rubber or silk and used in the diagnosis and measurement of strictures in the esophagus, the urethra, and other organs.
bronchoscope a tubular instrument inserted through the mouth and down the throat to inspect the trachea and bronchi.
caliper a forcepslike instrument used to measure thicknesses, especially body fat.
cannula a tube designed to fit into the various body channels for the withdrawing or delivering of fluids.
capnograph an instrument that monitors the amount of carbon dioxide in exhaled air.
cardiograph an instrument that records the activity of the heart.
catgut suture material made from the intestines of sheep; it is eventually absorbed by the body.
catheter a slender tube inserted into a body channel to extract or deliver fluids.
EDICINE
catheter, cardiac a slender tube passed through a blood vessel in an extremity to the heart to take blood samples and pressure readings.
CAT scanner computerized axial tomography; an X-ray instrument producing three-dimensional images. Also known as a CT scanner.
cautery an electrical instrument used to scar or destroy abnormal tissue.
Cavitron a motorized scalpel that cuts through delicate flesh but leaves blood vessels and ductal tissue intact; used in brain and liver surgery.