Acupressure: Oriental healing system using direct finger pressure to specific tension spots to reduce stress and pain and affect healing. Also called Shiatsu massage.Acupuncture: Ancient Oriental healing therapy which stimulates or disperses the flow of subtle energy (ch'i) within the body by inserting fine needles into specific points on the skin, by massage, by thermal therapy (heat applications), or by a combination of all three.
Anthroposophy: A dualistic spiritual science founded by Rudolf Steiner after he left the Theosophical Society.
Aroma Therapy: The use of essential oils from plants, flowers, trees and herbs to achieve health, vitality and rejuvenation of the body, mind and spirit.
Ashram: Hindu equivalent of a monastery; a community where devotees live with or around a guru who is their spiritual teacher.
Astral Projection: An out-of-body experience often occurring during sleep or a meditative state during which the etheric body separates from the physical body and travels over great distances to another location resulting in an altered state of consciousness.
Astrology: An ancient system of divination based on the belief that planetary cosmic cycles influence human affairs.
Aura Balancing: A healing technique that allows healing energy to normalize restricted cells. The healer detects energy blocks in the luminous electromagnetic force field called the aura that surrounds the human body and then balances or normalizes it by passing his or her hands over the congested area a few inches from the body.
Ayurveda: Ancient Indian medical-metaphysical healing life science based on the harmony of body, mind and universe. It emphasizes the capability of the individual for self-healing using natural remedies to restore balance.
Baubiologie: The study of the impact of building environment upon health and the application of this knowledge to the construction of healthy homes and workplaces; the science of holistic interactions between life and living environment.
Bioenergetics: A body-mind therapy created by Dr. Alexander Lowen which uses the body to heal the mind. The simultaneous duality and unity of the human personality is its underlying principle. The technique includes direct body work to release unresolved emotional blocks stored in muscle groups.
Biofeedback: A scientific technique to tune into and consciously control bodily functions by hooking up to a monitoring device that reads certain physiological responses and feeds information back to the user.
Biorhythms: The cyclical patterns of change in the body's physical, emotional and intellectual energy based on date of birth. Used to determine the immutable patterns of a person's critical days and periods of high and low energy.
Body-Mind Rhythmic Movement TM: Created by Susan Kramer. Elementary academic instruction using rhythmic movement patterning as a way to develop and reinforce the body-mind connection.
Chakra Balancing: Healing techniques which are intended to clear the blockages restricting the flow of energy in the chakras or psychic energy centers in the etheric body located in various points that range from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.
Channelers: ‘Sensitives' who allow spiritual entities to use their bodies and minds as a link between this plane and higher planes of consciousness for the purpose of receiving psychic information or healing energy. Formerly called mediums.
Chinese Tuina Therapy: A massage therapy using fingers and fists on meridian lines, manipulating muscles to release tension and loosen congested areas allowing natural healing to occur.
Chiropractor: Healer using therapy that attributes disease to neural malfunction with treatment primarily based on manipulation of the spinal column.
Clairvoyant: One who receives extrasensory impressions in the form of "inner sight" or mental images which are seen without the aid of the physical eyes and beyond the limitations of ordinary time and space. Literally means "clear seeing."
Colonic Irrigation Therapy: The introduction of a series of inflows and outflows of purified water into the colon for cleansing and corrective purposes.
Color Therapy: A natural healing technique using the scientific application of the correct color vibrations to the body, often as white light projected through films of various colors.
Course In Miracles, A: Material channeled through Helen Schucman and transcribed by William Thetford which aims at removing the blocks to the awareness of the presence of love. Consists of the Text, the Workbook for Students and the Manual for Teachers.
Cranial-Sacral Therapy: An offshoot of traditional osteopathic medicine. This work is a diagnostic and healing tool which deals with a very subtle rhythm in the body. The therapist seeks out, by palpation, the normal, physiological way the rhythm moves manifested through the bones in the head and the rest of the body. Traditionally used for head and tailbone disfunction, it works well for chronic headaches, whiplash injury, facial or cranial trauma and other sensory, motor and/or intellectual disfunction.
Creative Visualization/Guided Imagery: The use of mental energy to create positive thoughts to manifest life changes; a process by which a facilitator suggests the types of pictures to imagine in the mind as a technique to create thought forms for a desired end result which will later manifest in the physical world.
Crystal Healing: The therapeutic application of crystals and gemstones for healing the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.
Divination: The act of foretelling the future or gaining unknown information by using psychic skills or other methods outside of the ordinary senses.
Dowsing: The skill of divining for underground sources of water or other practical and spiritual matters by means of a divining rod or variety of other means, such as the pendulum, or even by deviceless techniques.
Eckankar: Ancient science of soul travel or ability to raise one's consciousness to higher planes of awareness to realize the divine consciousness of one's soul.
Egyptology: The study of all aspects of ancient Egypt such as its culture, language, architecture and history.
Empath: A person who can psychically tune in to the emotional experience of a person, place or animal.
Energy Healing/Balancing: Healing technique which involves working in the body's energy field to promote mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual healing.
Exorcism: The act of using special techniques or rituals to remove negative forces from a person or place.
Feng Shui: Geomancy, called feng-shui (wind and water) in China, is the art of healthful arrangement of rooms, furniture and buildings to effect spiritual, psychological and physical well-being.
Firewalking: Ancient ritual of spiritual empowerment. The practice of walking over hot coals without the feet getting burned. Practitioners are often in a trance state.
Floatation Tank: A sensory deprivation tank containing skin-temperature water (93.5 degrees) and Epsom salts, in which a person is immersed for relaxation and rehabilitation, often in conjunction with neuromuscular therapy.
Flower Essences: A modality that uses extracts from flowering plants in homeopathic proportions as catalysts for healing. Each liquid potentized preparation carries the imprint of a specific plant which speaks a subtle language that works on the root causes of disease. Originated by Dr. Edward Bach.
Fortean: Strange phenomena. Derived from Charles Fort, "philosopher of strangeness."
Geomancy: See feng-shui.
Gestalt Therapy: Humanistic therapy originated by Fritz Perls that centers on the reality of what is and each individual being responsible for his/her own actions; includes the interrelatedness of the object and the perceiver.
Hand Analyst/Counselor: One who uses a person's hands, fingers and nails to attune to the person's life, character and emotions.
Handwriting Analysis: The study of a person's handwriting to discover personal information such as health, character, personality and life circumstances.
Herbologist/Herbalist: A healer who understands the medicinal value of plants and prepares herbal formulas to strengthen the natural functions of the body so that it may heal itself.
Holistic Healing: A type of healing that treats the whole person and acknowledges the interrelatedness of the body, mind and spirit in the total health of a person.
Holistic Health Center: Healing center designed to treat the whole person, body, mind and spirit.
Holotropic Breathwork ™: A non-drug technique of self-exploration and healing using controlled breathing, evocative music, focused body work and mandala drawing to access all levels of human experience. Created by Stanislov and Christina Grof.
Homeopathy: A school of medicine based on the theory of "like cures like." Minute quantities of natural substance stimulate the body's own self-healing ability. If taken in larger doses, they would produce side effects similar to those of the disease being treated.
Hoshino Therapy: A unique system of acupressure therapy for early detection and treatment of biomechanical pain and dysfunction.
Humanistic Psychology: The school of psychology originated by Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and others, that emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual self and the integration of the whole person: feelings, intellect, physical and spiritual.
Huna: Ancient Hawaiian religious system of goal attainment and spiritual growth based on a knowledge of three levels of consciousness and the use of "mana," the vital force that heals and energizes.
Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy: A state of mind in which one's focus of attention is narrow and a higher level of awareness of the focal point is attained than is normal when one is awake. The power of conscious criticism is suppressed and suggestions move directly into the unconscious mind. Suggestions are acted upon more powerfully than is possible in the normal waking state.
I Ching: Traditional Chinese divination method that involves tossing three identical coins or objects six times and using the patterns they form to receive answers to personal questions from the I Ching or Book of Changes.
Incense: Aromatic herb or wood made into a fine powder to be burned for enjoyment of its pleasant fragrance; used as an offering at rituals or during religious ceremonies.
Iridology: A science involving the study of the iris of the eye as a diagnostic tool to reveal health or disorders in the human body. It is based on the premise that the nerves, muscle fibers and blood vessels in the iris are connected to corresponding locations in the body.
Kabbala (Qabala): Ancient Hebrew esoteric philosophy based on a mystical interpretation of the Bible. It presents a symbolic explanation of the origin of the universe and relates all things to their supreme archetypes.
Kinesiology: Knowledge of techniques for obtaining and using information from the position, movement, and tension of parts of the body, especially from the nerves, muscles, tendons, and joints. For example, diagnosis of physical ailments may be obtained from the subconscious level by naming the ailment, asking the subject to tense an arm and noting whether the tension is maintained or released when the arm is depressed.
Kirlian Photography: A photographic process using a high voltage, low amperage field of 50,000 bolts or more.Invented by Semyon and Valentina Kirlian. It picks up radiation around objects and humans which is not visible to the eye. Often used to photograph the energy field that surrounds the human body.
Luscher Color Test: A test developed by Dr. Max Luscher that indicates personality type on the basis of the subject's preference for eight color choices.
Macrobiotics: Literally, the Great Life. A healthful way to live according to the natural order of the universe. The application of this order to daily life is through a diet which affects the whole person and which is based primarily on whole grains, vegetables, beans and sea vegetables, with moderate amounts of fish, seeds and nuts.
Magick: Willful use of psychic skills to activate subtle forces to obey; use of ceremony, ritual, incantations, natural and human-made objects of correct vibrational frequency for desired outcome.
Mandala: A design of lines, forms and colors, usually circular, used in meditation to focus attention to a single point.
Medicine Wheel: Native American sacred circle representing the Universe and the balance of all creation. It is cast to contain, project and raise energy to transform, balance and heal.
Meditation: A technique of mind control that leads to inner feelings of calm and peacefulness and may result in experiences of transcendental awareness and self-realization. The two main types of meditation are: (1) the focusing type, similar to self-hypnosis, in which the meditator focuses on a repetitive sound or chant, an image, or pattern of breathing; (2) the "opening-up" type which emphasizes the detached observation of mental events as they occur.
Mediums: Sensitive people through whom communications are sent to the living from the spirit world. Also called channelers.
Mentastics Movement Re-Education: A system of dancelike, mentally directed movements to free the body from tensions, resulting in an ageless body. Basic to the Trager Approach.
Myofascial Release: A gentle hands-on physical therapy in which the therapist applies a small amount of pressure and an extremely mild form of stretching to the client's body. This releases the restrictive grip of the tight fascia, or connective tissue, thereby relieving the body's soft tissue of pain.
Mythology: Age old stories of humanity's concepts about the universe, including their relationships to their deities.
Natural Hygiene: A way of life that maintains that perfect health is an optimum state of body function, not the absence of disease. It maintains that healing is a biological process of the body, not something done to individuals and that by eating only raw, unprocessed foods as found in nature will they achieve the highest state of well-being.
Naturopathy: A healing system acknowledging the body's natural healing power. Fosters health through education and the use of natural substances such as herbs, foods, air and sunshine.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP): A system of analyzing and describing both verbal and nonverbal human behaviors in order to produce changes in behavior such as curing phobias, helping children with learning disabilities, and eliminating unwanted habits such as smoking, drinking and overeating.
Neuromuscular Therapy: A form of deep massage using pressure to certain trigger points on the body to release emotions and relieve pain by breaking the stress-tension-pain cycle.
Numerology: The science of numbers based upon qualitative values given to letters of the alphabet which are interpreted in shaping one's destiny as well as offering guidance in daily living.
Palmistry: The practice of psychically reading an individual's past, present and future, as well as health and character, by studying the lines, shape and texture of the individual's hands, fingers and wrists.
Parapsychology: The scientific investigation and, in some cases, treatment of supernormal phenomena such as telepathy, clairvoyance and extrasensory perception.
Past-Life Regression/Future Progression: The recall of past-life, including reincarnational, information through the subconscious mind by the use of techniques such as hypnosis. Also obtaining information regarding simultaneously existing future lives through the same methods.
Physics, New: Current form of physics which emphasizes the interconnectedness and inseparability of everything in the universe on a progressive scale from microcosm to macrocosm. A fundamental tenet is that the action of the observer affects that which is observed. At the quantum level, the new physics contends that objective reality may not exist and that it is meaningless to view things or objects as having any reality above and beyond the mind of the observer.
Polarity Therapy: A holistic health care program designed by Dr. Randolph Stone which aims to remove energy blockages in the body and restore balance and harmony. Practitioners move their fingers above the meridian lines of the body to create an energy circuit between the client and the therapist, thus creating a polarity of electromagnetic charge. It also stresses exercise, diet and positive thinking.
Psychic: A general term describing a person with one or more paranormal abilities such as extrasensory perception, clairvoyance or telepathy.
Psychic Counselor/Consultant: A psychic practitioner who uses his or her psychic abilities during private or group sessions to psychically tune into a client's life in order to help the client deal with problems. Common psychic tools for tuning in include Tarot cards, pendulums, clairvoyance and channeling.
Psychic Healing: Using the physical body as a vehicle for cosmic energy to heal body, mind and spirit.
Psychodrama: A role-playing group therapy founded by J. L. Moreno.
Psychometry: The process of holding an object and reading from it psychic impressions concerning the article or its owner.
Psychosynthesis: A developmental psychological and educational process formulated by Roberto Assagioli. Its goals are the integration of personality and awareness of the Self.
Rapid Eye Technology: A wholistic eclectic healing process based on the
blinking, moving, and perception of the eyes to facilitate mental, emotional, and physical change. RET is based on the inspiration and work of author and healer, Ranae Johnson.Reading: Information given to a person by an intuitive or psychic in response to questions asked. May involve past, present and future events.
Reading, Aura: Psychic reading of the subtle energy field around a person or object.
Reading, Shustah Card: Reading using a deck of cards with five suits of fourteen pages. Based on ancient mystery teachings, they are used for guidance and to predict the future.
Rebirthing/Integrative Breathing: Precisely defined breathing technique to cleanse, clear and heal the body, mind and spirit; its purpose is to relive the moment of your first breath and release the trauma associated with it.
Reflexology: A therapy including deep massage of the soles of the feet or the hands. Pressure applied to specific nerve endings stimulates glands and organs which helps to release toxins, improve circulation and relieve tension.
Reiki Natural Healing: A scientific healing technique to tap the Universal Life Energy and use it to heal and balance living beings; a tool for personal transformation, growth and change.
Ro-Hun Therapy: An energy-based, spiritually-oriented psychotherapy which aims to relieve negative thinking atterns and traumas stored in one's energy field and replace them with more effective means of living.
Rune Casting: An ancient Nordic and Germanic oracle dating to around 800 A.D., involving the use of twenty-five ceramic tiles, each inscribed with a letter from the Viking alphabet; divination technique allowing one to tap into answers in the subconscious or higher self for insight and advice.
Shamanism/Shamanic Therapy: Belief in psychic healing techniques and mediumship skills as practiced by tribal "medicine men" such as those among the Native Americans and in various parts of the Orient; the practices of mediumship and healing techniques of a Shamanic priest.
Shiatsu Therapy: An Oriental therapy consisting of finger pressure to the acupuncture points on the body. Helps relieve pain and tension and restore balance.
Sound Therapy/Toning: The use of a combination of tones and rhythmic sounds to alter a person's vibrations to bring harmony, accelerate healing and increase psychic skills.
Spiritual Counselor/Consultant: A practitioner who uses one or more spiritual and/or psychological techniques in rder to achieve holistic healing.
Spiritual Healing: Healing by the power of a spiritual energy, operating through the body of the medium or practitioner.
Spiritualist: One who believes that the continuity of life can be demonstrated and proven by the ability to communicate with departed souls through a psychic medium.
Structural Integration: The physical aspects of this therapy consist of manipulating the soft tissues of the body (fascia, muscles, and proprioceptors) to produce more appropriate links, elasticity and balance, resulting in increased vitality, improved posture, improved metabolic function and freer movement.
Tai Chi Chuan: Traditional Chinese nonaggressive martial art based on awareness and yielding which is practiced in slow motion; a meditation technique for grounding and centering, that is based on Taoist philosophy.
Tarot Cards: Deck of seventy-eight cards used in divination. Divided into the Major Arcana (twenty-two cards with archetypal significance) and the Minor Arcana (fifty-six cards of four suits: wands, swords, cups, and pentacles).
Theosophy: A philosophical system that promotes the ideas of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Annie Besant. Objectives are to form a universal brotherhood, investigate man's latent psychic and spiritual powers, and study philosophy, comparative religion and science.
TMJ Therapy: Correction of malfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) located in front of the ears at the jaw joint which is sometimes aggravated by dental work. May involve ligaments, muscles or the bone itself.
Trager Psychophysical Integration: A physical therapy using a gentle rhythmical type of bodywork that coaxes the subconscious mind to release its old programming. Deals with stress, limited movement, muscle spasm, pain and emotional holding patterns.
Transactional Analysis: Process to diagnose the ego states where verbal exchanges originate, as well as techniques to use this information to improve communication. Usually involves helping the client get in touch with internal parent/adult/child transactions that affect human behavior.
Transformational Counseling/Therapy: Counseling techniques associated with transpersonal psychology that are aimed at promoting self-realization at the personal level and planetary brotherhood and consciousness at the global level.
Transpersonal Psychology/Counseling: That school of psychology that aims at integrating Western science and Eastern thought by moving beyond Humanistic Psychology and its focus on the self or ego. Its orientation is a holistic one that focuses on the integration of mind, body and spirit and has ultimate psychological growth and well-being as its goals.
UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Unidentified flying objects or spacecraft with no known human-made origin; thought to be piloted by intelligent beings from outer space or another dimension.
Vegan: A diet without animal products of any kind. Followers believe in the rights of animals and avoid all products with animal source ingredients including cleaning products, cosmetics, personal care products, shoes and other items of clothing.
Vision Questing: Native American spiritual practice for opening up to the universe and perceiving a clairvoyant vision of your personal guide for the purpose of prophesy, protection and discovering your life's purpose. Traditionally a time of fasting and praying.
Walk-In: A term used by Ruth Montgomery's Guides for a highly aware entity from the spiritual dimension who, with permission, enters an unwanted adult human body in order to begin its humanitarian work at once by avoiding living the childhood years.
Wet Rebirthing: Guided by a rebirthing therapist, participants relive their birth trauma in a water environment in order to work out negativity concerning the birth process.
Wicca: From the Anglo-Saxon word for "wise one." An earth or pagan religion and magical system dedicated to the Goddess and God which uses simple ceremonies or rituals to achieve communion with the natural forces; often referred to as a form of Witchcraft.
Yoga: Sanskrit for yoke or union. An Eastern philosophy involving spiritual discipline using various techniques to experience union with a Supreme Being. Many yogic paths exist and include work on the physical body as in Hatha yoga, which uses breathing exercises and sustained physical postures to gain physical and mental control over the body; Bhakti, the yoga of devotion and love using the heart as a vehicle for transcendence; and other types of yoga specific to a path or teacher including Iyengar, Jnana, Karma, Kripalu, Kriya, Kundalini, Raja and Siddha yoga.
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