"They themselves do not see the world of light as we do, but our shapes cast shadows in their minds, which only the noon sun destroys: and in the dark they perceive many signs and forms that are hidden from us: then are they are most to be feared. And at all times they smell the blood of living things, desiring and hating it. Senses, too, there are other than sight or smell. We can feel their presence - it troubled our hearts, as soon as we came here, and before we saw them; they feel ours more keenly. "
- Aragorn commenting on the Ringwraiths in The Lord Of The Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Ray: "Sir, what you have there is what we refer to as a focused, non-terminal repeating phantasm, or a Class Five full roaming vapor.
Real nasty one, too!"
-Ghostbusters
The Society for Paranormal Investigation Classification System of Haunting & Paranormal Activity
by Vorpral
| Interactive Former Human Spirit Pattern | Location Based Haunting Non-Interactive : Earth Mysteries | Psychokinetic | Non-Human Entity |
| Phantom | Residual Haunting | General RSPK & ESP | Angels |
| Apparition | Spirit (Psychic) Burn | Poltergeist | Demons |
| Classic Haunting | Psychic Echoes | Psychic Attack | Elementals |
| Graveyard Spectres | Phantom Craft | Psychic Disturbance | Banshees? |
| Etheric Revenant | Vortexes/Portals | Psychic Vampire | Ghost Lights? |
| Vampires | Ley Lines | Thoughtforms | Wild Hunt |
| Power Points | Astral Projection (OBE) | Spirit/Animal Guides? | |
| Feng Shui - Geomancy | Bilocation/Double | Lower Astral Entities? | |
| Spiritual Residue | Time Slips | Etheric Larvae? | |
| Imprints | Artificial Ghost | Animal Ghosts Cryptozoology | |
| Geomagnetic Anomaly | Shapeshifter | Aliens/Fey Folk? |
Remember that these are just labels for convenient use, and it is not to say that any of these particular entities/events actually exist. They may also be known by other names, belong to more than one group or subgroup, and be in flux or in conjunction with other types of paranormal activity. The "?" mark signifies subclasses of which I have a greater degree of uncertainty.
Paranormal Dictionary
http://www.npri.co.uk/alphabet.htm
LEVELS OF BEING
Taken from John Greer's book, Monsters
with modified interpretation by Vorpral of SPI
| Level | Description | Beings (examples) |
| Spiritual | The level of primal unity from which all other levels emanate and to which they return, possibly Heaven | Angels |
| Mental | Abstract consciousness, timelessness, logic & math | Thoughtforms |
| Astral | Concrete consciousness, dreams, OBE | Astral Projection |
| Etheric | Life force | Ghosts, Fay Folk |
| Physical | What we commonly perceive as reality | Humans and Animals |
| Sub-Physical | Hell | Demons |
These classifications I owe to research found in the first four books that are named in my Books To Read section.
CATEGORIZATION BY VISUAL PHENOMENA
Orbs - also known as plasmoids, speeders and EML (Electromagnetic Luminaries - credit Chris Mosely of Dagulf's Ghost)
Streamers
Ectoplasm, mist
Vortexes
Shadow Men
"What is a ghost? An emotion, a terrible moment condemned to repeat itself over and over? An instant of pain, perhaps? Something dead which appears at times alive. A sentiment suspended in time ... like a blurry photograph ... like an insect trapped in amber."
-The Devil's Backbone