Witches and the Paranormal

[Faith Lehane]

Witches//Warlocks
A Witch is a person who has great knowledge and power over the use of mystical forces, commonly known as "magic", to perform various feats that defy the laws of nature. The term "witch" is commonly used to refer to female magic-users. Male witches are known as warlocks. In the Buffyverse the term magic is commonly used as "Magicks

Identification
A witch can be identified by using various ingredients; some of her hair, a little quicksilver (mercury), some aqua fortis (nitric acid), and "eye of toad". The ingredients are heated then applied to the possible-witch. If a spell has been cast in the previous 48 hours, the witch's skin turns blue. This was used to discover that "Amy" (actually Catherine) was a witch.

Magic
Becoming a witch involves a great deal of practice and work. Even those gifted with an unusually high ability can take several years to perfect their powers.
Spells can be performed by anyone by use of magical items while saying particular incantations (often in Latin). However witches have greater knowledge and power over the use of magic
While every being is capable of performing magic, there are natural witches, women that are born with innate talent for the harnessing and manipulation of mystical forces. This talent is inherited from mother to daughter.
The magic can be used as a force for good. Willow uses magic to support Buffy in the fight against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. However the growth of power can also become corrupting. Catherine Madison used magic to take over the life of her daughter's younger body. Willow gradually began to use magic in every part of her life, until she was addicted to it. Later, after the death of Willow's girl friend Tara Maclay, Willow sought revenge which resulted in dark magicks taking control of her, creating what is known as "Dark Willow"

Techno Pagan
Techno Pagans are modern low-level practitioners of magic. They are not that different from Witches, they are just more familiar with modern technology and its relation to the black arts. For example Jenny Calendar considered herself a Techno Pagan rather than a Witch[4]. Although not specifically addressed, the implication is that there is a difference in power levels between a Techno Pagan and a Witch, as Jenny ascribes in a season 1 episode in which Giles asks if she is a Witch. Jenny's answer, "I don't have that kind of power" indicates that witches are able to perform greater feats of magic than other, more casual practioners of magic.
Willow could be seen sometimes using modern technology and contacts to further her witchcraft (e.g. the internet). However she identifies herself as a Witch rather than a Techno Pagan.

[Faith Lehane]

Telepathy
Telepathy is the ability to communicate with others with the mind. Within the field of parapsychology this is considered to be a form of ESP. Most often telepathy occurs spontaneously in incidents of crisis where a relative or friend has been injured or killed in an accident. An individual is aware of the danger to the other person from a distance. Such information seems to come in different forms as in thought fragments, like something is wrong; in dreams, visions, hallucinations, mental images, in clairaudience, or in words that pop into the mind. Often such information causes the person, the receiver, to change is course of action, such as changing his travel plans or daily schedule, or to just call or contact the other person. Some incidents involve apparent telepathy between humans and animals. The term used to describe the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses

Clairaudience -
the ability to internally hear information that is passed from the dead

Psychometry
Psychometry is the ability to gather information from objects. For example, a psychometrist may hold a watch or wallet belonging to a person they do not know, and by concentrating on the object, garner information about the person’s past, present, or future. The concept of psychometry is a popular theme for stage act and Séance; with participants being asked to provide a personal object to be “read” by a medium or psychic. It was used as the basis for Johnny Smith’s visions in Stephen King’s 1979 novel The Dead Zone

Precognition
This is the ability to foresee future events The psionic ability to perceive the future. It may be expressed in vague dreams while asleep, other times it can be clear and can occur at will. It may also be used as a form of "Danger sense" to show the user that they are being threatened and from what direction it is coming from. In parapsychology, precognition (from the Latin præ-, “prior to,” + cognitio, “a getting to know”) is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person perceives information about future places or events before they happen (as distinct from merely predicting them based on deductive reasoning and current knowledge).

Postcognition
Postcognition is the opposite of precognition; it is the ability to see an event after it has occurred. This is probably the most widely used ability in modern days as many police forces invite psychics to assist them on difficult unsolved cases

Clairsentience,
feeling expanded sense. a paranormal or psychic ability to sense the emotions of others. People having this ability are often referred to as Empaths

Aura Sensing -
The ability to identify the moods and motives of others a Psychic comes in contact with. There are a series of colors the person will see and each signifies a different mood or motive.

Pyrokinetics
Also referred to as "firebugs," some humans have the psychic ability of pyrokinesis. They are able to create flames with their mind, and to shield themselves from the flames.Pyrokinesis Pyrokinesis is the ability to ignite or extinguish fires with the mind. In yet another book by Stephen King, Firestarter, the main character, a young girl, has this ability There may be a connection between this alleged ability and the various reports of spontaneous human combustion

Umbrakenesis
The ability to move shadows and darkness with ones mind

Lumokinesis
The ability to control light particles also known as photons.
Externally Long Distance: Lumokinetic's in which can influence and accumulate photonic particles or light at a far distance.
Externally Short Distance: Lumokinetic's in which can influence and accumulate photonic particles or light at shorter distances. They require to be no farther then 5-10 feet or they can only influence light directly located around their body.

Seismokinesis Or Phytokinesis -
The ability to control the growth of plant life or summon it whenever it is not present and / or control the element of earth in it's many forms. ( Examples - Enriching malnourished soil, Reviving plant life, or creating plant life.

Psychokinesis aka Telekinesis
and mind over matter, and it is the ability to move or manipulate objects with the mind. A paranormal ability of the mind to influence matter, time, space, or energy without the use of any currently known type of physical means. Example of psychokinesis could include distorting or moving an object This, in combination with pyrokinesisis the ability that Carrie White had in the excellent book and movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie